Former India cricket team captain Rohit Sharma’s stay in the middle in the IND vs NZ 1st ODI was short-lived as he departed for just 26 runs. The game at Vadodara marked the Hitman’s first in 2026 and it didn’t turn out to be the innings that he expected. India are tasked with chasing down a mammoth 301-run total in the game.
Rohit perishes for just 26 runs
Rohit had assumed the role of an aggressor while captain Shubman Gill played anchor in the run-chase. Sharma managed to score three fours and two sixes before he was forced to walk back to the pavilion. The former Indian skipper was caught out by Michael Bracewell off Kyle Jamieson in the fourth delivery of the 9th over. Rohit is currently the number 1 ranked batter in ODIs, with a rating of 781.
The dismissal marked Rohit’s second at the hands of Jamieson in 3 innings. He has managed to score 33 runs from 44 deliveries at a strike rate of just 75, which pretty much explains the opener’s struggles against the tall bowler. Prior to the IND vs NZ 1st ODI, Rohit was in red-hot form, with five fifty-plus scores in 8 50-over games, including a hundred against Australia and a ton in VHT 2025/26.
Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway set the stage with a 117-run opening stand. But the Kiwis lost their way in the middle overs with wickets falling in quickly. But Daryl Mitchell, who has been a thorn in India’s path, hit 84, helping New Zealand get to the 300-run mark. For India, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna and Mohd Siraj bagged two wickets each while Kuldeep Yadav bagged one.
India vs New Zealand ODIs schedule
| Day | Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | January 14 | 2nd ODI | Rajkot |
| Sunday | January 18 | 3rd ODI | Indore |
Cricket
Should India drop Abhishek Sharma for T20 World Cup semi-final against England?
