Gill admits India were second-best as New Zealand end 37-year wait

New Zealand were without key players for the ODI series, but India also missed Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. Shubman Gill refused to use that as an excuse for the series defeat. "We were a good enough side to beat them in the series, but they outplayed us—whether in bowling, batting or fielding," the skipper said post-match in Indore.

New Zealand recorded their first-ever series win in eight attempts, ending a 37-year wait. The ODI series came just over 16 months after their Test side blanked India 3-0 in a three-Test series in 2024.

With the scoreline 1-1 heading into the decider, Gill hoped India would improve in the middle overs, an area they had faltered in. India failed to address that concern. On Sunday, they conceded 191 runs while taking only one wicket from the 11th to the 40th over. Across the series, in the middle overs: 90 overs, eight wickets, at an average of 68.37 and a strike rate of 67.5.

The middle-overs bowling struggles were highlighted by the spinners' performances. Ravindra Jadeja failed to claim a single wicket in the series, raising concerns about his fading bowling prowess. Kuldeep Yadav managed three wickets in as many games, at an average over 60 and a strike rate of 50.

"Sometimes, it happens. Kuldeep has always been a strike bowler for us. It's unfortunate he was not able to take as many wickets this time. These kinds of series help us grow," Gill said, defending Jadeja by stating he looked in good touch.

Jadeja has taken just one wicket in his last five ODIs. His batting returns have also dipped: he has not scored an ODI half-century since 2020, going without a fifty in 29 innings, and at home since 2013—42 innings.

India's fielding was below-par, with dropped catches in all games. Gill pointed out: "I honestly felt our fielding in this series was not up to the mark. We dropped some crucial catches. It's not easy for bowlers on wickets like this to create chances. It's an aspect we really have to get better at. The big differences were: their batsmen converted starts, and New Zealand were better in the field—they must have saved 15-20 runs today. These make a big difference."