Indian vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is making his comeback in the ODIs after he missed the South Africa home series due to a laceration injury. On his return, Iyer has already made a game-turning impact even before he could take the bat in his hand.
India and New Zealand are up for an exciting series, which includes ODI as well as T20I matches. The ODIs started today at the Vadodara Cricket Association Stadium with India asking the Kiwis to bat first. This is the second consecutive toss India have won in an ODI game.
This New Zealand side is, however, not the best team, as they do not have their skipper, Mitchell Santner, playing the game and even their star batters, Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra, are not part of the series in India for the 50-over format.
Shreyas Iyer’s bullet throw finds captain Michael Bracewell short of his crease
Daryl Mitchell and Harshit Rana are having a sweet little banter with the bat and ball, and also with some exchange of glances and words. During Rana’s one such over, when Mitchell dug out a yorker towards the long-on region and ran hard to complete a double.
Michael Bracewell, the captain, was running towards the danger end; however, the bowler was not in position, and by the time he would have reached Bracewell, he would have made his ground. But in an extraordinary effort, Shreyas Iyer made a direct hit on the stumps, and Bracewell was a long way out of his crease.
WHAT A THROW BY SHREYAS IYER. 🥶🔥pic.twitter.com/eGK95JP9di
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) January 11, 2026
A moment of brilliance from Shreyas Iyer as Michael Bracewell is run out with a stunning throw#ShreyasIyer #RunOut #FieldingExcellence #INDvsNZ #CricketHighlights pic.twitter.com/iXCRlJiTLO
— Crux India (@crux_india_) January 11, 2026
Daryl Mitchell was dismissed well short of his hundred
Daryl Mitchell, the finest batter in the New Zealand lineup when it comes to the longer format of limited-overs cricket, once again built on the total for the Blackcaps after Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls gave the Kiwis a strong start.
Mitchell scored 84 runs in his innings off just 71 balls with 5 fours and three sixes and was dismissed by an inswinging yorker off Prasidh Krishna’s bowling. His innings gave New Zealand the hope to reach the 300-run mark, which they ultimately did.
Daryl Mitchell also admitted in the post-match interview that the softer balls due to the new rules in the game have made it difficult to play, and the Indian bowlers restricted them with the smart cutters into the surface.
Will Washington Sundar come out to bat for India in the First ODI?
Washington Sundar’s freak injury scare has turned out to be a concern for India. Also noticing Gautam Gambhir’s former tactics, the left-handed all-rounders, formerly Axar Patel, were mostly promoted to the middle order.
In Axar’s absence, Washington might be playing the role, but with the sudden back sprain he suffered during his bowling spell, Sundar’s contributions with the bat are now under severe doubt. The doctors and physios are currently observing his back, and an update will be made anytime soon.
However, India will be hoping for their star to be deemed completely fit; otherwise, Ravindra Jadeja could also be a possible option to be promoted in the batting order.
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