STATS HIGHLIGHTS
Follow UsTo be precise, there weren’t few, there are plethora of records from the third ODI. Asked to bat first, India posted yet another massive total of 385/9, thanks to centuries from Shubman Gill (112) and Rohit (101).
New Zealand were on course despite losing Finn Allen in the second ball of the innings. But Thakur’s twin strike in the 26th over tilted the momentum towards India. Devon Conway’s fighting innings of 138 went in vain as NZ fell short by 90 runs. They suffered their fourth white-wash against India. By virtue of this win, India are now the top ranked ODI team.
Rohit finally breaks the century drought
After three years and four days, Rohit Sharma registered his first ODI ton. His last 100 came against Australia on January 19, 2020:
- Before reaching his century, Rohit first went past Sanath Jayasuriya’s tally of 270 sixes. With 273 sixes, he now stands behind Shahid Afridi (351) and Chris Gayle (331).
- Rohit registered his 30th ODI century and is levelled with Ricky Ponting at third. Sachin (49) and Virat Kohli are way ahead of him (46).
- As an opener, this was his 28th century. He now has the joint second most centuries as an opener after Sachin (45). Jayasuriya also has 28 centuries while opening.
- In today’s (January 24) innings, Rohit reached the landmark in just 83 balls, which is his second fastest 100 in the format. His fastest (82) came against England in 2018.
Gill’s dream series
Gill was the player of this series, and why wouldn’t he be when he has scored 360 runs at an average of 180 in three innings. The 360 runs scored by him is the joint most by a batter in a three-match bilateral series.
In the process, he also became the first ever Indian batter to score 300+ runs in a three match bilateral series. His average of 180, is the best for an Indian opener who has scored 200+ runs and batted three or more innings in a series. Adding more, Gill is the first Indian opener to hit multiple centuries in a three-match bilateral series.
A series that belonged to the Indian opening pair
In all the three matches, Indian openers batted through the powerplay unseparated. By hoisting 344 runs, they registered few records from this match as well as the series:
- In all the three matches, Rohit and Gill posted 50+ partnerships. They became the second Indian opening pair after Ajay Jadeja and Sachin Tendulkar, against NZ and West Indies in 1994, to post 50+ stands in all innings of a bilateral series (most innings).
- In a three-match bilateral series, only Rohit and KL Rahul (370) against West Indies in 2019 had scored more runs than Rohit and Gill, as an opening pair.
- In comparison, NZ’s opening partnership had put on only 28 runs, a difference of 316 runs. In a three-match bilateral series, this is the fifth highest difference between two team’s opening partnership. The highest is 416, between Australia (449) and England (33) in 2022.
- This is only the second series in which India haven’t lost a wicket in the first powerplay. The other one was against the West Indies in 2022.
- The 212-run stand between Rohit and Gill, was the fifth best opening partnership for India in ODIs, and against New Zealand, this was the highest ever. Previously, 201-run unbeaten stand between Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag in 2009, was the best.
Sixes galore
With small ground dimensions, sixes are bound to come. But in this match, it flowed like water:
- India in their innings smashed 19 sixes, which is the joint most for them in an ODI innings. The other instance came in 2013 in Bengaluru against Australia.
- The openers from both sides, Rohit (6), Gill (5) and Conway (8), smashed 19 sixes all together. In a match, only in a fixture between England and West Indies (21) in 2019 and New Zealand and West Indies (20) in 2015, there were more sixes from the openers.
- Throughout this match, 32 sixes were witnessed, 19 from India and 13 from New Zealand, the third most in a match in India.
- In an ODI innings, the 19 sixes hit by India are the most against New Zealand. Previously, India itself held the record when they had smashed 18 sixes in 2009 in Christchurch.
Abundance of centuries from openers
In the entire match, three centuries were scored and all three came from the openers. Conway (138) for New Zealand, Gill (112) and Rohit (101) for India.
In an ODI match, this is only the fifth time where there have been three centuries between openers. India and Australia in 1986 in Jaipur, South Africa vs India in Jo’burg in 2001, England vs Sri Lanka in Leeds in 2006, and Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe in 2017 in Hambanthota are the other four games.
A valiant effort in vain
After suffering failures in the first two matches, Conway bounced back with a near heroics. He smashed a century in just 71 balls, making it the second fastest century for a New Zealand opener. Jesse Ryder against West Indies in 2014, reached the landmark in 46 balls, which remains to be the fastest.
His score of 138 in this innings is the second-best score by a New Zealand opener while chasing. Among 26 Kiwi openers who have registered centuries in an ODI chase, Conway’s strike rate of 138 in this innings is the best.
FEW OTHER STATS
- India’s total of 385/6 in this innings is their second highest total against New Zealand in ODIs. Overall, this is the third highest total against them.
- In a 50-over match, Jacob Duffy became the second New Zealand bowler after Tim Southee (0/105) against India in 2005, to concede in excess of 100 runs. Martin Snedden also conceded 105 runs against England in 1983, but that was in a 60-over match.
- Overall, he became the first bowler to concede 100+ runs after picking up three or more wickets. Previously, Shafiul Islam (BAN) had given away 95 runs against Pakistan in 2010.
