India vs New Zealand 3rd ODI Highlights: ‘Chase Master’ Virat Kohli Slams Century But India Lose Series

India suffered a heartbreaking defeat against New Zealand in the third and deciding ODI as the visitors clinched the series 2-1 with a 41-run win in Indore. Despite a brilliant century from ‘Chase Master’ Virat Kohli, the Indian team failed to cross the finish line while chasing a massive target of 338 runs.

Virat Kohli’s Century Goes in Vain

Virat Kohli once again proved why he is regarded as one of the greatest chasers in world cricket. Under pressure, Kohli played a gritty and determined knock of 124 runs, registering his 85th international century. He anchored the chase, showed great composure, and kept India in the hunt for most of the innings.

However, Kohli lacked consistent support from the other end. As wickets kept falling, the required run rate climbed, putting India under immense pressure. Eventually, the hosts were bowled out for 296 runs, falling short by 41 runs.

Middle Order Effort Not Enough for India

Youngsters Nitish Reddy and Harshit Rana tried to revive India’s chase with fighting half-centuries. Their contributions brought brief hope to the crowd, but New Zealand’s disciplined bowling attack ensured that India never truly regained control of the chase.

The Indian batting lineup struggled to build long partnerships, which proved costly in a high-scoring match.

New Zealand’s Batting Dominance Sets the Tone

Earlier in the match, New Zealand showcased an outstanding batting performance after being invited to bat first. Daryl Mitchell continued his sensational form, smashing his second consecutive century of the series. He scored a superb 137 runs off 131 balls, anchoring the innings with confidence.

Alongside him, Glenn Phillips played an aggressive knock of 106 runs off just 88 balls, accelerating the scoring rate in the latter half of the innings. Their century partnership powered New Zealand to an imposing total of 337 runs.

Indian Bowlers Try but Fall Short

India’s bowling attack made early inroads, with Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana picking up three wickets each. Despite their efforts, the Indian bowlers struggled to contain New Zealand’s batters in the middle overs. Loose deliveries and missed opportunities allowed the Black Caps to capitalize and post a daunting total.

Historic Series Win for New Zealand

With this victory, New Zealand achieved a historic milestone—their first-ever ODI series win against India on Indian soil. The series showcased New Zealand’s consistency, strong batting depth, and calm approach in crunch situations.

For India, the loss will raise questions about middle-order stability and bowling execution in high-scoring games, even as Kohli’s form remains a major positive.

Final Thoughts

Virat Kohli’s century once again highlighted his unmatched class in run chases, but cricket remains a team game. New Zealand outplayed India in key moments and deservedly walked away with the series.

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