New Zealand’s left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner impressed one and all with his batting exploits in the opening ODI against India in Hyderabad on Wednesday (January 18).

Chasing 350 to win, the Kiwis were reeling at 131/6 and it seemed that the hosts will cruise towards an easy victory. However, Michael Bracewell (140 off 78 balls) turned the game upside down with a blazing century while also stitching a whirlwind 162-run stand for the seventh wicket with Santner, who scored 57 off 45 balls.

Thanks to their partnership, the visitors came very close to the target, finishing with 337/10 in 49.2 overs to lose the game by just 12 runs.

Reflecting on his knock, Santner on Friday (January 20) said getting more opportunities to bat over the past 12 months has led to an improvement in his power game and helped him chip in with useful knocks.

"Being an all-rounder you need to chip in both the departments. In the last year or so, getting more opportunities to bat has helped. It can be quite challenging at times if you are at the bottom and you have three or four overs left," Santner said on the eve of the second ODI.

"The nature of batting at 7 and 8 is that you have to go hard from ball one and hit. You train for your role and that is what I do in the nets and try to hit some sixes. When you have more time to bat like the other night you get into your innings a bit more.

"Sometime you will come with 15 overs left and sometimes with two overs left. You have to be able to do both," he added.

Santner also praised India opener Shubman Gill, who smashed 208 off 149 balls to propel the hosts to a massive 349/8 in 50 overs.

"The way Gill used his crease forward and back it is quite challenging as a spin bowler," he said.

The second ODI between India and New Zealand is due to be held in Raipur on Saturday (January 21).

(With PTI Inputs)