Virat Kohli smashed New Zealand pacer Blair Tickner for a cover drive, which the commentators described as the ‘shot of the day’. It happened in the 10th over of India’s chase in the opening ODI against New Zealand in Auckland on Wednesday, November 4.
In Tickner’s opening over, the fifth ball was short of a length outside off stump, and Kohli hit it with a high elbow, on the up, through the gap between mid-off and extra cover.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri branded it ‘the shot of this innings so far’ on air, his fellow commentator echoing with ‘shot of the day.’
The timing also mattered. Kyle Jamieson had just conceded a single in the ninth over, and India were 44 for 1 when Kohli played the shot, chasing 186 after New Zealand were bowled out for 185 in 40.2 overs in the opener. Rohit Sharma’s return lasted six balls, caught by Mitchell Santner at mid-off off Jamieson. By the time rain arrived for a second time at 64 for 1 in 12 overs, Kohli had 29 off 27 with five fours and Shubman Gill 27 off 39.
What is Virat Kohli’s ODI record in New Zealand before NZ vs IND 2026 series?
Virat Kohli arrived in Auckland with 596 runs from 13 innings in the country at 49.66 and a strike rate of 91.41, with one century and four fifties. The hundred was 123 off 111 balls in Napier on January 19, 2014, and he followed it up with 78 in Hamilton three days later.
In all formats, Virat Kohli has 1,897 runs from 36 matches at 57.48, with seven hundreds, the most by any batter against them.
Eden Park had been his leanest stop in the country: three ODI innings, 59 runs at 19.66, the last of them 15 in February 2020. He began this innings four runs short of 600 ODI runs in New Zealand and passed the mark during the chase, also becoming the first batter to 13,000 ODI runs at No. 3.
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Edited by Srinjoy
