Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu praised skipper Shubman Gill’s innings in the run chase in the series opener against New Zealand, even though it was far from his usual stroke-filled style and tempo. The India opener made a gritty and scratchy 37 off 56 balls at Eden Park, Auckland, on Wednesday, November 4, as the visitors won by five wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match affair.
Shubman Gill’s contribution came in a 113-run stand for the second wicket with Virat Kohli, after Rohit Sharma fell for a six-ball duck in the opening over to Kyle Jamieson. While Virat Kohli attacked from the moment play resumed following two rain interruptions, Shubman Gill simply held the other end on a tricky surface, scoring five fours at a strike rate of 66.07.
He was dismissed in the 19th over after right-arm pacer Nathan Smith had him caught behind by Tom Latham, with India already on course for a revised target of 143 in 32 overs.
Shubman Gill does not have fond memories of New Zealand as far as his international career is concerned. His first outings in the country, which were part of his debut series, saw him being dismissed for 9 and 7 after facing a combined 32 deliveries. However, he did score a fifty in the 2022 tour.
“Gill played a very important knock. He did not let any ego get in the way, and he quickly understood that Virat was doing something that I don’t think anyone can do. He just played his game and was not influenced by what Virat was doing. So, it was very smart and for a young guy to do that is quite difficult, so hats off to him,” Rayudu said on Cricbuzz.
Virat Kohli, at the other end, made a free-flowing 74 off 51 balls, hitting 13 fours and a six, and reached his 80th ODI half-century off just 35 deliveries, while Shubman Gill played second fiddle. The star opener was batting on a run-a-ball after 14 deliveries, but his next 13 deliveries yielded only three runs.
India eventually finished on 143 for five in 22.4 overs after multiple rain breaks and target revisions, winning with 56 balls to spare after New Zealand were bowled out for 185 in 40.2 overs. Arshdeep Singh led the attack with four for 70, Gurnoor Brar took three for 44, while Anshul Kamboj returned two for 22 to be named player of the match.
“They enjoy batting with each other” – Murali Kartik on Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli’s chemistry after match-winning partnership in NZ vs IND 2026 1st ODI
Former India spinner Murali Kartik focused on the chemistry Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill share on and off the field, which played a major role in their sixth-century stand in 27 ODI innings together.
“They enjoy batting with each other, you could see there were certain moments. The King was enjoying his batting and the Prince was enjoying it from the other end. So every time there was a good shot played, there was a massive fist bump, and that tells you that they enjoy the company out there in the middle. I think that is what makes a young captain comfortable,” Kartik said on Cricbuzz.
They recently put up a mammoth 150-plus partnership in the first home ODI against West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2026, when Gill made 110, and Kohli finished unbeaten on 139. Since 2024, the pair have scored 1,241 ODI runs together at an average of 51.70 across 25 innings, with three fifty-plus and five century partnerships and a run rate of 6.15.
India take a 1-0 lead in the series on the back of Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli’s partnership on top of a solid bowling performance. They will face New Zealand in the second ODI on Saturday, November 7, in Wellington.
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Edited by Gokul Nair
