The third and final ODI between India and New Zealand got underway on Sunday, January 18, at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, with the hosts winning the toss and opting to bowl first. The decision paid immediate dividends as the Men in Blue struck early, reducing the Kiwis by two wickets inside the powerplay.

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Once again, Daryl Mitchell stood tall under pressure, scoring a fighting half-century to steady New Zealand after their shaky start. While the fourth-wicket partnership began to gather momentum, India’s overall body language and intensity in the field looked noticeably sharper than in the previous match.

However, one rare lapse from Virat Kohli grabbed widespread attention. Known for his high-energy presence and athleticism on the field, Kohli endured an uncharacteristic moment that quickly went viral on social media.

Virat Kohli’s passion on display despite fielding lapse

In one of the overs, the ball rolled towards Kohli as he charged in to collect it, but the former India captain fumbled the ball multiple times, allowing a single to be taken. Visibly upset with himself, Kohli reacted in frustration, even kicking the air in anger, a moment that underlined his relentless commitment and high standards on the field.

The incident gained traction online, especially in the backdrop of India’s poor fielding display in the second ODI, which played a major role in New Zealand’s dominant seven-wicket win. The hosts had dropped several chances in that match, including Prasidh Krishna putting down Daryl Mitchell, who went on to punish India with an unbeaten 131 off 117 balls.

Learning from their mistakes, India showed signs of improvement in the ongoing decider. Harshit Rana produced a fine effort to grab a sharp catch, while Ravindra Jadeja stole the spotlight with a brilliant take at point to dismiss the dangerous Will Young.

Shubman Gill admits fielding cost India in second ODI

Following the second ODI defeat, India captain Shubman Gill openly acknowledged the team’s shortcomings in the field and stressed the need for improvement.

“Even in the last match, we let down a couple of chances. It’s one thing we’re always working on with this team,” Gill said during the post-match presentation. “We’re constantly trying to get better at fielding, because in this format, if you don’t take your chances, it ends up costing you the game.”

The spotlight has also fallen on India’s fielding coach T. Dilip, who introduced the much-talked-about ‘Best Fielder’ medal during the 2023 ODI World Cup, an initiative that significantly raised India’s fielding standards and became a fan favourite.