Daryl Mitchell underlined calm decision-making under pressure and collective belief as the cornerstones of New Zealand’s historic achievement after the visitors sealed their first-ever bilateral ODI series victory on Indian soil.
New Zealand clinched the series with a win in the decider on Sunday, successfully defending a challenging total of 337.
India mounted a strong chase of 338, led by a key partnership between centurion Virat Kohli and Harshit Rana, but fell short once the stand was broken.
Mitchell, who scored 137, admitted the pressure was palpable and praised his team’s composure at a crucial stage of the contest.
“They had a really good partnership and there was a lot of pressure, especially considering the nature of this ground, the surface and the size of the dimensions,” Mitchell said.
“I was really proud of how calm the group stayed and how clear the plans were in terms of how we wanted to operate,” he added.
Calling the series decider a contest worthy of the occasion, he said, “It was a great game of cricket to go down to where it did. I think both teams should be very proud of the way they played.”
Reflecting on the magnitude of the achievement, Mitchell said the win carried special significance for the touring side.
“A number of New Zealand teams have toured India in the past and every time you come here, you learn and grow. But to come here with this group and achieve what we have is something the guys in the shed are really proud of. There will be some big smiles going back home,” he said.
Asked to place the ODI series triumph alongside New Zealand’s recent Test series success in India, Mitchell said both reflected the growth of the team.
“Beating India here is never easy, in any format. To do it with this group makes it very special for New Zealand cricket,” he said.
Mitchell also spoke warmly about the experience of playing in front of Indian crowds.
“We're used to pretty small crowds back in New Zealand. Then you come here and the noise people create is very special. It's amazing to be part of that,” he said with a smile.
The New Zealand batter, who has enjoyed consistent success in Indian conditions, credited his time in the Indian Premier League for helping him adapt.
“I am very grateful for the time I spent in Chennai, and also in Rajasthan. Hopefully, I'll be back here a few more times in the future. India is a great place to tour. Playing in front of these fans is very special,” he said.
However, Mitchell stressed that preparation back home was equally important to their success.
“We spent a lot of time preparing in Lincoln and at Mount Maunganui. International cricket gives you exposure to different surfaces and different ways of scoring runs. We're very lucky to have good preparation back home and groundsmen who help us simulate conditions,” he said.
Despite New Zealand’s apparent intent to attack Kuldeep Yadav during the series, Mitchell had words of praise for the Indian wrist-spinner.
“Kuldeep is world-class. There's a reason we try to put him under pressure — when he bowls well, he sets up their whole attack. He can spin the ball both ways and I still think he has a massive role to play for India in the future,” he said.
On India’s decision to bowl first in the series decider, Mitchell said the call was understandable.
“We would have done the same. If there's any dew later on, it can become hard to control. As visiting teams, we don't always know the conditions as well as the locals, so you're guessing and trying to make the best decisions together,” he said.
Mitchell also highlighted his crucial partnership with Glenn Phillips, who scored 106, after New Zealand lost early wickets.
“With GP, we've got different angles, so we work well as a partnership. He's a very fast runner, so my challenge is trying to keep up with him,” he said.
“We lost a couple of wickets early and the focus was on extending the partnership and putting the pressure back on them,” he added.
He was particularly pleased to see Phillips return strongly after a long injury layoff.
“He's been out for a long time, so it was awesome to see him come out and do what he does,” Mitchell said.