“If there’s a bigger score on the board, I don’t know if he will” – New Zealand pacer’s stunning remark on Virat Kohli after NZ vs IND 2026 1st ODI

New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy questioned whether ace Indian batter Virat Kohli could have batted with the same aggression if his side batted first or chased a bigger score in the first ODI. The target in front of India kept shrinking. New Zealand were bowled out for 185 in 40.2 overs, Arshdeep Singh taking 4/70, Gurnoor Brar 3/44 and Anshul Kamboj 2/22 after India chose to field.

Rain trimmed the chase to 167 in 40 overs, then to 143 in 32. Kohli batted as though the equation were still awkward: 13 fours, a six, a strike rate of 145.09, and a half-century from 35 balls on a surface with pace and bounce, finishing with 74 off 51 deliveries.

Reacting to Kohli’s performance at the post-match press conference, Duffy said (via the Crex YouTube channel):

“If they’re batting first or there’s a bigger score on the board, it’ll be interesting to see if he plays like that. I don’t know if he will. I don’t want to give away all the scouting tips; I did get some intel in the nets over in Bengaluru. But there aren’t many holes in that man’s game. On small grounds like that, he uses the pace really well.”

Kohli’s heroics helped India reach their target of 143 in 22.4 overs, with 56 balls to spare.

“Has done it for a lot of years” – Jacob Duffy on Virat Kohli

Jacob Duffy, despite questioning Virat Kohli’s approach if the situation were different, had high praise for the champion batter’s knock in the series opener. Most of his press conference was an appreciation of the innings, and he had better information than most: he and Kohli were teammates at Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the franchise’s title-winning IPL 2026 season, and Duffy spent much of it bowling to him in the nets.

“A small target like that, if you have a guy come out with that kind of intent, it can break the task pretty easily. And he is a pretty good guy to do it. It was impressive. He didn’t struggle with the bounce and got inside those hook shots and pull shots, and he can work you down the ground. No surprises. He’s a good player and has done it for a lot of years. He did that to me on the nets at Bengaluru,” said Duffy (via the aforementioned source).

The fifty was the 80th of Kohli’s ODI career and his 50th score of 50 or more in ODIs away from home, a mark no other batter has reached.

Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran