Daryl Mitchell once again made life difficult for India, producing a powerhouse innings in Indore after his unbeaten 131 in Rajkot. Coming in at 5 for 2, Mitchell grounded New Zealand’s recovery and turned a wobble into a big total — finishing with a brilliant 137 and adding another chapter to a remarkable short stint in India.
How the innings unfolded in Indore
New Zealand were in early trouble when Mitchell walked to the crease, but he and Will Young steadied the ship with a 53-run third-wicket stand. Mitchell’s century arrived off 107 balls in the 36th over, an innings that featured 15 fours and three sixes. Together with Glenn Phillips, who also made a century, Mitchell helped New Zealand post 337, rescuing the visitors after a rocky start.
Series context: form that mattered
This was Mitchell’s second century of the ongoing three-match ODI series — his fourth career hundred against India — and it followed the unbeaten 131 at Rajkot that had already put New Zealand back in the contest. Across the three matches he produced a breathtaking run of scores: 84, 131*, and 137.
Records and milestones
- Record aggregate vs India in a three-match ODI series: Mitchell finished the series with 352 runs, the highest total ever by a batter against India in a three-match bilateral ODI series, surpassing Quinton de Kock’s 342 from 2013.
- Massive partnership on Indian soil: Mitchell and Glenn Phillips combined for a 219-run fourth-wicket stand — the biggest partnership by New Zealand against India in India, eclipsing the 200-run partnership set by Tom Latham and Ross Taylor in Mumbai in 2017.
- First time two Kiwis hit hundreds in the same ODI innings against India: Mitchell’s 137 and Phillips’ 106 marked the first instance of two New Zealand batters both reaching triple figures in the same innings against India.
- Consistent performer in India: Mitchell recorded his fourth 50-plus score in his last five ODI innings against India, all produced in Indian conditions — a run of sustained success that few visiting batters achieve.
- Among touring greats in India: Mitchell’s four ODI centuries in India put him level with Nathan Astle for the most hundreds by a New Zealand batter on Indian soil. Only AB de Villiers, with five, has more ODI hundreds in India among visiting players.
- Ahead of some legends: By reaching four centuries in India, Mitchell now has more ODI hundreds on Indian soil than several all-time greats, including Ricky Ponting and Viv Richards.
Why this matters
Mitchell’s run-scoring on Indian pitches shows adaptability and temperament. Scoring big in subcontinental conditions is often the toughest test for touring batters, and Mitchell’s sequence of fifties and hundreds demonstrates both technique and concentration. His performances not only tilted this series statistically but also underline why he’s become a major headache for India in ODIs.
Looking ahead
With this string of innings behind him, Mitchell has raised the bar for visiting batters in India. Opponents will now have to plan specifically for his ability to anchor an innings and accelerate when required — and New Zealand will lean on him heavily whenever they tour the subcontinent.