In the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara, India’s decision to bowl first seemed like a smart move, but things didn't go exactly according to plan for Captain Shubman Gill. The Indian bowlers struggled early on to find a breakthrough, and a golden opportunity to send the first Kiwi batter back to the pavilion was missed by Kuldeep Yadav in a moment of madness.

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It all happened in the sixth over. Harshit Rana, bowling with good pace, induced a false shot from New Zealand opener Henry Nicholls. The ball flew towards third man, a relatively easy catch at this level. Kuldeep Yadav, usually a reliable pair of hands and arguably India's best spinner at the moment, settled under it. To everyone's shock, the ball popped right out of his hands.

It was a sitter. The frustration was visible on Rana’s face, and skipper Gill looked on in absolute disbelief. That drop proved to be expensive. Nicholls, who was on a low score at the time, made the most of his lifeline. He and his opening partner, Devon Conway, went on to punish the Indian attack, stitching together a frustrating 117-run partnership. Both openers brought up their half-centuries, leaving Indian fans wondering "what if."

The breakthrough finally came much later, and fittingly, it was Harshit Rana who delivered. He dismissed Nicholls for 62, caught behind by KL Rahul, finally ending the stand that had threatened to take the game away. While India eventually clawed their way back with quick wickets, that early drop by Kuldeep was a reminder of how small margins can change the flow of a match.