India regained lost ground in T20 cricket with an emphatic 3-0 series sweep of World Cup finalists New Zealand. And they have done it in grand fashion, in front of a packed Eden Gardens crowd, with the so-called Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma era getting a rousing start. Skipper Rohit played the role of a protagonist at his favourite hunting ground and in the process also overtook his predecessor Virat Kohli to become the batter with most T20I fifties (30).
Rohit won the toss for the third time, and this time India challenged themselves to set a target by batting first. And they did in a way. Rohit (56 off 31) and Ishan Kishan (29 off 21), who filled in for the rested KL Rahul, stitched an opening stand of 69 runs. Then the hosts lost wickets in a heap. But Deepak Chahar played one of his little cameos (21 off 8), for which he's now getting recognised to be a genuine all-rounder, to help India reach 184/7.
What followed was a procession of wickets with the Indian bowlers making a merry. Axar Patel led the pack with three early wickets. From 30/3 in 4.4 overs, the Kiwis never recovered. In the midst, Kishan even got two run-outs. Martin Guptill did try his best, hitting a 36-ball 51, but the visitors kept losing wickets.
The 73-run win also means that India are unbeaten in six series at home. The last time they lost a series at home was 0-2 against Australia in 2019. Also, India have won six T20Is on the trot since losing the Kiwis in the World Cup.
Now the focus will be on Test cricket. Catch highlights of IND vs NZ, 3rd T20I here:
11:04 PM IST: Stars Speak
Axar Patel, player of the match: "Earlier when I got hit, I used to bowl quicker and quicker. Now I try to vary my pace... Want to take this confidence forward."
Rohit Sharma, player of the series: "It's important to start well. That's always been my mindset... The spinners did the job for us in the entire series. The way Ravichandran Ashwin bowled, Axar Patel. And how Yuzvendra Chahal came back. Good to see Venkatesh Iyer bowling those overs with the skills he has. Important for us going forward. I would prefer that going forward."
10:42 PM IST: It's 3-0
A stunning team effort from India. Skipper Rohit Sharma scored a blistering fifty, then the tail wagged. New Zealand, in the absence of Kane Williamson, make a meal of the chase even as Axar Patel produced stunning figures of 3/9 in three overs.
10:30 PM IST: Result
Deepak Chahar with his third over. And he gets the final wicket, that of Lockie Ferguson (14 off 8). A 73-run win for India's biggest in terms of runs. NZ - 111 (17.2); IND - 184/7 (20)
A stunning team effort from India. Skipper Rohit Sharma scored a blistering fifty, then the tail wagged. New Zealand, in the absence of Kane Williamson, make a meal of the chase even as Axar Patel produced stunning figures of 3/9 in three overs.
10:28 PM IST: 75 In 18
Harshal Patel returns for his third over. And the wicket of Ish Sodhi (9 off 11), caught by Suryakumar Yadav at long on. Trent Boult is the new man. Then Lockie Ferguson hits sixes off the second and fourth balls. 15 from the over. New Zealand need 75 runs in 18 balls. NZ - 110/9 (17)
10:22 PM IST: 90 In 24
Venkatesh Iyer returns for his third over. And maiden international wicket for the right-arm pacer. Adam Milne hits the first ball straight to Rohit Sharma at extra cover. Milne goes for 7 off 6. Lockie Ferguson is the new man. Two singles from the over. New Zealand need 90 runs in 24 balls. NZ - 95/8 (16)
10:18 PM IST: 1/26 For Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal completes his spell. A single and his figures: 1/26. New Zealand need 92 runs in 30 balls. NZ - 93/7 (15).
10:14 PM IST: 93 In 36
Deepak Chahar returns for his second over. And run out, second for Ishan Kishan. A one-handed pick-up and a direct hit at the striker's end. Santner pays the price for being greedy. Ish Sodhi is the new man. And he hits back-to-back fours off the fourth and fifth balls. Nine from the over. New Zealand need 93 runs in 36 balls. NZ - 92/7 (14)
10:07 PM IST: 102 In 42
Harshal Patel returns for his second over. And he gets the wicket of dangerous Jimmy Neesham (3 off 7), caught by Rishabh Pant. Some effort from the wicketkeeper. Adam Milne joins Mitchell Santner in the middle. Milne hits the last ball for a six, over long on. Seven from the over. New Zealand need 102 runs in 42 balls. NZ - 83/6 (13)
10:00 PM IST: Run Out
Venkatesh Iyer returns for his second over. A single and a couple, then the Kiwis lose Tim Seifert (17 off 18) thanks to a mix-up with James Neesham. Mitchell Santner is the new man. Six from the over. New Zealand need 109 runs in 48 balls. NZ - 76/5 (12)
9:55 PM IST: Chahal Gets Guptill
Yuzvendra Chahal with his third over. And the spinner gets the prized wicket of Martin Guptill. Caught by Suryakumar Yadav at long-on. Guptill goes for 51 off 36. Jimmy Neesham is the new man. Two singles from it. New Zealand need 115 runs in 54 balls. NZ - 70/4 (11)
9:47 PM IST: Guptill Fifty
Axar Patel returns for his third over. A couple and a single as Tim Seifert rotates the strike. Two dots then Martin Guptill plays a beautiful cut for a four. And his fifty, in 33 balls. Seven from the over. New Zealand need 117 runs in 60 balls. NZ - 68/3 (10)
9:43 PM IST: Chahal Leaking Runs
Yuzvendra Chahal returns for his second over. Martin Guptill takes a single, then Tim Seifert hits s four to break the shackles. Another single, then Guptill creams the fourth ball for a six, over long-on. The Kiwi opener doesn't even bother to look. A dot then a four to the midwicket boundary. 16 from the over. Guptill is unbeaten on 47 off 30. NZ - 61/3 (9)
9:38 PM IST: Another Tidy Over
Another bowling change. Harshal Patel on and four singles from his first over. Eight runs from the last two overs. NZ - 45/3 (8)
9:34 PM IST: V Iyer On
Bowling change. Venkatesh Iyer on with his medium pace. Tidy one. Four singles. 20 runs and three wickets in the last 30 balls. NZ - 41/3 (7)
9:30 PM IST: Guptill Show
Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns for his second over. Two dots, then a six as Martin Guptill launches the third over deep cover. Seven from the over. NZ - 37/3 (6)
9:25 PM IST: Third For Axar
Axar Patel continues. Martin Guptill takes a single off the first ball. Two dots and the wicket of Glenn Phillips. Bowled! Four-ball duck. Tim Seifert is the new man. Patel is toying with the Kiwis. Seifert struggles to read the turn. A single and a wicket. NZ - 30/3 (5)
9:21 PM IST: Chahal On
Another bowling change. Yuzvendra Chahal on and two dots. But Martin Guptill hits the third ball for a six, over long on. A dot and a single as Glenn Phillips gets his first strike. Seven from the over. NZ - 29/2 (4)
9:17 PM IST: Axar Double
Another one for Axar Patel. Turn and bounce and Mark Chapman is stumped. Nice work behind the wickets from Rishabh Pant. Chapman goes for a two-ball duck. One run and two wickets for Axar. NZ - 22/2 (3)
9:13 PM IST: Axar Strikes
Bowling change and Axar Patel strikes with the first ball. A skier from Daryl Mitchell and easy for Harshal Patel at point. Mitchell goes for 5 off 6. Mark Chapman is the new man. NZ - 21/1 (2.1)
9:11 PM IST: Dropped
Deepak Chahar shares the new ball with Bhuvneshwar Kumar. A single, and Daryl Mitchell lofts the second over cover for a four. A single, then a six as Martin Guptill sends the ball into Indian dug out. And a four, over the bowler's head. A bounder and Chahar then drops Guptill. 16 from the over. NZ - 21/0 (2)
9:04 PM IST: Chase Begins
Bhuvneshwar Kumar with the new ball. Martin Guptill takes the strike. And a four off the second ball, lofts over extra cover. A single off the next to give strike to Daryl Mitchell. Five from the over. Target for New Zealand - 185.
8:49 PM IST: Innings Break
Adam Milne with the final over. Deepak Chahar hits the first ball for a four, over point, and another one, this time flicks to deep midwicket boundary. A couple off the third, to deep mid-wicket. Stand an deliver from Chahal for a six, over long on. A salute from Rohit Sharma. Another couple to mid-wicket. 19 from the over. Milne's figures: 1/47. 50 runs in the last 30 balls. IND - 184/7 (20)
8:43 PM IST: Hit Wicket
Lockie Ferguson returns for his fourth over. Harshal Patel hits the first ball for a six, over long-off. A dot, then the wicket. Hit wicket. Harshal goes for 18 off 11. He's only the second Indian batter to get out hit wicket after KL Rahul (in 2018 against Sri Lanka). Deepak Chahar is the new man. Nine from the over. Ferguson's figures: 1/45. IND - 165/7 (19)
8:49 PM IST: Dead rubber? No problem
Crowds returned to the iconic Eden Gardens after a hiatus of more than two years... Read on
8:37 PM IST: 1/31 For Boult
Trent Boult with the last over. A dot, and single, then a leg bye. A misfield at sweeper cover from Lockie Ferguson and four for Harshal Patel. A slow bouncer for a wide. Umpire Virender Sharma is very strict tonight. And an overthrow from Mark Chapman to give a single. Eight from the over. Boult's figures: 1/31. IND - 156/6 (18)
A 22-run stand for the eight-wicket in the last one and half overs for India as Deepak Chahar hit an unbeaten 21 off 8.
8:31 PM IST: Harshal Four
New man Harshal Patel hits the third ball for a four, over mid-off. Long handle. 8 from the over. 40 runs and two wickets in the last 30 balls. IND - 148/6 (17)
8:26 PM IST; Patels In The Middle
Adam Milne returns for his third over. And wicket. Shreyas Iyer hits the first ball straight to Daryl Mitchell at long-on. Now, after the Iyers, Patels in the middle as Harshal joins Axar. IND - 140/6 (16.1)
8:24 PM IST: Five Down
Trent Boult with his third over. A single, then Shreyas Iyer plays the second ball for a couple behind point, helped by a misfield. A wide for height. Tough. Boult then gets the wicket of Venkatesh Iyer. Holes out at deep midwicket, caught by Mark Chapman. V Iyer goes for 20 off 15. 36 run stand in 27 balls broken. Axar Patel in at 7. A single to end the over. Six from the over. IND - 140/5 (16)
8:17 PM IST: New Ball
Mitchell Santner returns for his final over. Two singles, then a four for Venkatesh Iyer down the ground. And umpires want a new ball, probably it's out of shape due to Rohit Sharma pounding or a due to dew. Well, it's out of shape. Seven from the over. Santner's figures: 3/27. IND - 134/4 (15)
8:12 PM IST: V Iyer Six
Ish Sodhi with his final over. A single, and Shreyas Iyer hits the second ball for a four, first in 13 legal deliveries, behind point. A single, then Venkatesh Iyer hits a biggie, over deep midwicket. 13 from the over. Sodhi's figures: 1/31. IND - 127/4 (14)
8:04 PM IST: Quiet Overs
Lockie Ferguson returns for his third over. Six from it - five singles and a wide. 37 runs and two wickets in the last 30 balls. IND - 114/4 (13)
8:04 PM IST: Iyer And Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer joins Shreyas Iyer. Five runs and a wicket from the over. IND - 108/4 (12)
8:00 PM IST: Rohit Goes
Ish Sodhi on with his third and a dot. And caught and bowled. Rohit Sharma goes for 56 off 31. 34 runs and three wickets in the last 30 balls. IND - 103/4 (11.2)
7:58 PM IST: Rohit Fifty
Mitchell Santner with his third over. Two singles, and a four to third man as Rohit Sharma reaches another fifty. This time in 27 balls. He now has the most fifties in T20Is, one more than Virat Kohli (29). Shreyas Iyer hits the last ball for a four, to backward point. 13 from the over. IND - 103/3 (11)
7:52 PM IST: Busy Over
Ish Sodhi continues. New man Shreyas Iyer takes a double each off the last two balls. Seven from the over. Rohit Sharma on 48 off 25 (four fours and three sixes). IND - 90/3 (10)
7:47 PM IST: Three Down
Mitchell Santner continues and he gets another, 3rd tonight. Rishabh Pant launches the sixth ball only to find Jimmy Neesham. Pant goes for 4 off 6. Rohit Sharma shakes his head in disbelief. IND - 83/3 (9)
7:42 PM IST: Spin From Both Ends
Bowling change. Ish Sodhi on and six singles. 48 runs and two wickets in the last 30 balls. IND - 77/2 (8)
7:38 PM ITS: Two Down
And another one for the Kiwi stand-in skipper Mitchell Santner in his first over. Suryakumar Yadav (0 off 4), caught by Martin Guptill at cover. Rishabh Pant is next for India. IND - 71/2 (7)
7:34 PM IST: Wicket
Mitchell Santner on and he strikes. A dot then a fine take by Tim Seifert behind the wicket to send Ishan Kishan (29 off 21) back. Suryakumar Yadav joins Rohit Sharma in the middle. IND - 69/1 (6.2)
7:32 PM IST: Sixes Record
Lockie Ferguson continues. Rohit Sharma hits the first ball for a four, to mid-off boundary. A single, then a four as Ishan Kishan plays a lofted drive. A single, then 150th T20I six for Rohit. And a four to end the over. A gentle flick, a caress to the liking of Rahul Dravid. 20 from the over. IND - 69/0 (6)
7:28 PM IST: Kishan Fours
Three on the trot for Trent Boult. Another expensive over. Ishan Kishan hits back-to-back fours off the third and fourth balls. 10 from the over. IND - 49/0 (5)
7:21 PM IST: Another Rohit Six
Bowling change. Lockie Ferguson on with his first over. A dot, then a six as a Rohit Sharma mistimed shot gets enough to sail over mid-off boundary. Glenn Phillips then pulls off a stunning effort to save one off the next. Almost a four. 10 from the over. IND - 39/0 (4)
7:16 PM IST: Rohit Six
Trent Boult continues. A dot, then Rohit Sharma hits the first six of the match. Top edge and sails over fine leg boundary. Ishan Kishan hits the fourth for a four, to square leg. 11 from the over. IND - 29/0 (3)
7:11 PM IST: Very Good Start
Adam Milne shares the new ball. Ishan Kishan starts with a four, three dots then a couple. A four to end the over. 10 from the over. IND - 18/0 (2)
7:05 PM IST: Good Start
Trent Boult with the new ball. Rohit Sharma hits the first two balls for fours. Eight from the over. Ishan Kishan is yet to face a ball.
6:40 PM IST: Dada In The house
Sourav Ganguly rings the bell.
BTW, here's a look at the famous Maidan market, in the Esplanade region of Kolkata. This is a hub of sports goods and jerseys of national teams and famous international teams across sports.
6:36 PM IST: Teams
Mitchell Santner is leading the Kiwis tonight. And Lockie Ferguson in for Tim Southee. Two changes for India. Ishan Kishan and Yuzvendra Chahal come in for rested KL Rahul and Ravi Ashwin. Here are the playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal.
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert (wk), James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (c), Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.
6:31 PM IST: Toss
India win the toss and will bat first.
After defeats and Jaipur and Ranchi, New Zealand can at best score a consolation win at Eden Gardens ahead of the two-Test series starting November 25 in Kanpur. But India's next-generation cricketers like Venkatesh Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Harshal Patel are looking for avenues to impress and exploit every opportunity to impress.
New Zealand are tired after playing virtually non-stop at the T20 World Cup in UAE. They lost the final match against Australia on November 14 and was playing a fresh series in India on November 17. Such punishing schedules can really test a team's mental strength and the ability to execute its core skills. The Kiwis have been quite below par in India.
Having lost the T20 series, New Zealand will probably be free in mind and express themselves better. New Zealand's middle-order batting has been a weak point and if they can add to the good starts Martin Guptill and Mark Chapman have provided, then India have a challenge at hand.
India have rode solid starts from skipper Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. On Friday, Rohit and Rahul have equalled Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's record of most century partnerships in T20 internationals.
Plus, Eden Gardens is one of Rohit Sharma's favourite grounds. On November 13, 2014, Rohit smashed 264 not out against Sri Lanka, the highest individual score in an ODI, at Eden. A 3-0 scoreline on Sunday will be the perfect icing on the cake for the new T20 captain of India.
