NEW DELHI: India suffered a historic home series defeat to New Zealand as Virat Kohli’s brilliant 124 off 108 balls proved insufficient in the third ODI at Holkar Stadium on Sunday. Chasing a challenging target of 338, India was bowled out for 296 in 46 overs, marking the first-ever bilateral ODI series loss to the Kiwis on home soil.
Kohli’s innings was a masterclass in controlled aggression and resilience, as he fought hard to keep India in the chase while wickets fell regularly at the other end.Earlier, New Zealand posted a competitive 337 for eight, powered by centuries from Daryl Mitchell (137) and Glenn Phillips (106). The pair stitched together a 219-run fourth-wicket partnership that turned the game decisively in New Zealand’s favour. Mitchell anchored the innings with calm authority, while Phillips provided momentum after a cautious start. Despite early blows from India’s pace attack, including Arshdeep Singh dismissing Henry Nicholls for a duck and Harshit Rana claiming key wickets, New Zealand recovered strongly, rotating the strike and punishing loose deliveries to build a formidable total.India’s chase began shakily, with Rohit Sharma falling for 11 and Shubman Gill for 23 inside seven overs. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul also failed to make an impact, leaving India at 71 for four. Kohli then rebuilt the innings alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy (53), rotating the strike intelligently and punishing loose deliveries. Harshit Rana contributed a lively 52 off 43 balls, briefly reviving India’s hopes, but the required rate proved too steep. Kohli’s dismissal at 292 for nine, caught by Daryl Mitchell off Kristian Clarke, sealed India’s fate.New Zealand celebrated a landmark 2-1 series win, showcasing composure, power, and effective partnerships. For India, Kohli’s brilliant century drew a standing ovation, but the loss underscored that even individual brilliance could not compensate for a collective batting collapse. The match was remembered as a night where one player’s heroics were not enough to avert a historic defeat.
