Daryl Mitchell made 352 runs in 3 ODIs winning Player of the Series.
Daryl Mitchell, New Zealand's Indore ODI hero, has revealed that targeting "world-class" spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the first delivery was a planned part of the visitors' game plan, as the Indian wrist-spinner can dominate the flow of the hosts' bowling attack once he gets into his groove.
Mitchell, in great touch, set the tone by dancing down the track and smashing Kuldeep for a straight six off the left-armer's first delivery after being introduced in the 17th over. Kuldeep appeared to lack confidence from that point forward, going through the motions rather than asserting his dominance in the battle.
Mitchell and Glenn Phillips launched another assault in the 41st over, hitting Kuldeep for big sixes right down the ground. On a small Indore surface, the spinner failed to contain the marauding combination, finishing with 1 for 48 from six overs.
Mitchell made 137, his highest ODI score, and added 219 runs with Glen Phillips (106) to take New Zealand to 337/8 in 50 overs.
This was the second time Kuldeep went to the cleaners, as in the second ODI, the left-arm wrist spinner went for 82 runs in his 10 overs as Mitchell hammered 131 and Will Young made 85.
"Kuldeep is world-class. There is a reason we try to put him under pressure. When he bowls well, he sets up his whole attack. He can spin the ball both ways, and I still think he has a massive role to play for India in the future," Mitchell said after New Zealand registered their maiden ODI series win in India.
Mitchell also stated that India bowling first after winning the toss was a logical call and the Kiwis would’ve done the same.
"We would have done the same. If there is any dew later on, it can become hard to control. As visiting teams, we do not always know the conditions as well as the locals, so you are guessing and trying to make the best decisions together,” he stated.
Mitchell also spoke about his crucial partnership with Glenn Phillips.
"With GP, we have got different angles, so we work well as a partnership. He is a very fast runner, so my challenge is trying to keep up with him. We lost a couple of wickets early, and the focus was on extending the partnership and putting the pressure back on them,” he said.
Mitchell, who has always performed well in Indian conditions, attributed his adaptation to his time in the IPL.
"I am very grateful for the time I spent in Chennai and also in Rajasthan. Hopefully, I'll be back here a few more times in the future. India is a great place to tour. Playing in front of these fans is very special,” he said.
Virat Kohli’s 124 and half-centuries by Nitish Reddy and Harshit Rana gave a tough fight to New Zealand in the third ODI. However, Mitchell praised New Zealand’s composure under pressure from Indian batters.
"They had a really good partnership, and there was a lot of pressure, especially considering the nature of this ground, the surface, and the size of the dimensions. I was really proud of how calm the group stayed and how clear the plans were in terms of how we wanted to operate," said Mitchell, who won the Player of the Match and Player of the Series.
Reflecting on the magnitude of the achievement, Mitchell said the win carried special significance.
"A number of New Zealand teams have toured India in the past, and every time you come here, you learn and grow. But to come here with this group and achieve what we have is something the guys in the shed are really proud of. There will be some big smiles going back home,” Mitchell signed off.
(ANI inputs)