VADODARA: Virat Kohli reigned supreme once again with a 91-ball 93 and skipper Shubman Gill hit 56 but India huffed and puffed before completing a nervy four-wicket win against New Zealand in the opening ODI of the three-match series here on Sunday.
In pursuit of 301, India was in complete control when Kohli departed in the 40th over but a flurry of wickets saw the home side going over the line with 306 for six in 49 overs.
Kohli fell a few runs short of what could have been his 54th ODI century when India needed 67 from 66 balls with seven wickets in hand. Ravindra Jadeja (4) and Shreyas Iyer (49) followed him soon in the dressing room, giving New Zealand a real chance to clinch the game.
However, KL Rahul (29 not out) put on 37 runs with Harshit Rana (29), and the remaining runs came in company of an injury-hit Washington Sundar (7 not out), aided by a few uncharacteristic dropped catches by the Kiwis towards the end.
It was Kyle Jamieson (4/41) who dragged New Zealand back in the game when all seemed lost, getting Kohli caught at mid-on to deny the India batting stalwart a deserving ton. He also cleaned up Iyer with an off-cutter and got rid of Jadeja.
Even as he fell a few runs short of a century, Kohli became the quickest to reach 28,000 runs in international cricket.
New Zealand had posed an at-par 300/8 but with Kohli in such imperious form, it never was enough especially with a depleted bowling attack.
If he didn’t refrain from hitting over the top early on against South Africa, Kohli pulverised the Kiwis from the moment he arrived on the crease with a flurry of fours.
There was that trademark planted front foot for a majestical on-drive to pull behind the short fine leg for a four.
And if the 23-year-old Adithya Ashok was star-struck, Kohli pummelled boundaries off the leg-spinner to make another brisk start.
There was a stroke of luck involved too. Batting on a ‘different level’ by his own admission, Kohli went hard on a full delivery from debutant Kristian Clarke and an inside edge missed the leg stump.
Kohli added 118 runs off 102 balls for the second wicket with Gill, and the pair went nonchalantly about their task even if no boundary was found for 52 balls at a stretch. The drought was ended by Gill when he hit one down the ground, which almost cleared the ropes.
The Indian skipper took time to find his groove to bring up his 16th half-century in ODIs but as the innings progressed, Gill also struggled, possibly with cramps. Having stretched his legs a few times, he called the team physiotherapist for some on-field treatment.
Brief scores: New Zealand 300/8 in 50 overs (D Mitchell 84, H Nicholls 62, D Conway 56) lost to India 306/6 in 49 overs (V Kohli 93, S Gill 56, S Iyer 49, K Jamieson 4/41)