The Rohit Sharma show was cut short abruptly, but Virat Kohli stepped up, gifting Indian fans a spectacular batting show like he always does.

Kohli (93 off 91 balls) was at his fluent best right from the onset, crossing fifty for the fifth successive occasion in ODIs and was complemented well by skipper Shubman Gill (56) and his deputy Shreyas Iyer (49) in the run chase. Besides that, the quicks did their job as well, effecting crucial breakthroughs to stifle New Zealand earlier as India registered a four-wicket win in the first ODI in Vadodara on Sunday.

Riding their improved batting skills, which is this new-look New Zealand side’s strength, the visitors managed to post 300/8 after being put in. But having lost the plot in the middle overs, when they were reduced to 198/5 in the 38th over after the 117-run opening stand between Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls was broken by Harshit Rana in over No. 22, the Black Caps were at least 20-25 runs short in helpful batting conditions at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium.

Credit has to go to the pace trio of Mohammed Siraj, Harshit and Prasidh Krishna for their change of pace, slower bouncers and yorkers that choked New Zealand’s progress.

Although a few deliveries kept low, batting overall certainly appeared easier under lights. And to make matters comfortable for India’s batsmen, barring Kyle Jamieson, the other New Zealand bowlers were largely short on experience and not threatening enough. That certainly helped Kohli, Gill and Shreyas to ensure the equation remained well within India’s reach.

So even after losing Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Shreyas to Jamieson in a space of just two overs, India had no real reason to panic. In fact, even after some excellent ground fielding right through, Daryl Mitchell, top-scoring for the Black Caps with 84, dropped a sitter at long-on to let Harshit off when the latter was on 12.

That too hurt New Zealand as Harshit added 17 more before his dismissal by debutant Kristian Clarke. With the calm KL Rahul (29 not out) at the crease and an injured Washington Sundar giving him company, braving a left-side strain sustained earlier, India reached home with an over to spare.

It remains to be seen if Washington Sundar, also in India’s T20 World Cup squad, returns for the rest of the matches. For the time being, though, the discussions can centre around Kohli and his dominant batting, something he’s been able to execute quite consistently.

Alongside laying the path to ODI victories for India, for Kohli too, such consistency will only keep boosting his longevity.

Call-up for Jurel

Dhruv Jurel was brought into the squad for the ongoing ODI series as a replacement for Rishabh Pant, who’s out with a side strain after copping a blow during Saturday’s training session.

“Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant felt a sudden onset of discomfort in his right lateral abdominal area while batting in the nets during India’s practice session on Saturday afternoon. He was taken for MRI scans immediately and the BCCI medical team had a detailed discussion with an expert on his clinical and radiological findings.

“Pant has been diagnosed with a side strain (oblique muscle tear) and is subsequently ruled out of the ODI series,” said a BCCI release.

The sudden call-up does come at a good time for Jurel, who has been in outstanding form lately with two centuries and four fifties in seven innings in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy for Uttar Pradesh, aggregating 558 runs at an average of 93 and a strike rate reading 122.90.

Whether keeper-batter Jurel will be handed his maiden ODI cap against New Zealand in the coming days is difficult to say. But if he does get an opportunity in the XI, he whould be going in with a much better mindset, thanks to the crucial runs he scored in the national one-day competition.

Bangladeshi presence

Amid the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s unwillingness to let its team play their T20 World Cup matches in India because of security issues, Bangladeshi Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat was the television umpire for Sunday’s game.

In fact, he might also be seen officiating as an on-field umpire in a few of the remaining games during this bilateral series.