Shooting Cooper Connolly: Australia’s 22-year-old star
New Zealand got off to a rocky start. Arshdeep Singh bowled Henry Nicholls for a golden duck in the first match and Harshit Rana removed Devon Conway in the next. After five overs the score was 27 for 2. Will Young and Mitchell began to level the innings and took New Zealand to 47 for 2 after ten overs, but Rana struck again in the 12th over, removing Young for 30, who was superbly caught by Ravindra Jadeja at backward point. However, Mitchell continued his sublime form. At the end of the 21st over, he brought up his fourth consecutive ODI fifty against India, closing in on Kane Williamson’s record of five in the ongoing series. New Zealand passed 150 in the 29th over and Glenn Phillips joined the party with his first 50 against India in ten innings during the 33rd over.Most runs in a 3-match ODI bilateral series360 – Babar Azam vs WI, 2016 (UAE)360 – Shubman Gill vs NZ, 2023 (Home)352 – Daryl Mitchell vs IND, 2026 (Away)*349 – Imrul Kayes vs ZIM, 2028 (Home)346 – P Nissanka vs AFG, 2024 (home) In the 36th over, Mitchell reached his ninth ODI century in just 106 balls, his third in the last four innings and his second in the series against India. The Mitchell-Phillips partnership flourished and reached 180 runs for the fourth wicket. Phillips then completed his second ODI century in just 83 balls, marking the first time that two New Zealand batsmen had scored hundreds in the same ODI innings against India. Arshdeep Singh finally broke the partnership in the 44th over to end Phillips’ 106 off 88 deliveries. Mitchell’s innings ended on 137 off 131 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes. Despite late wickets, Michael Bracewell’s unbeaten 28 off 18 deliveries helped New Zealand finish at 337 for 8. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana took three wickets for India. Mitchell’s incredible numbers against India reflect more than just one match. His consistency and dominance make him one of the toughest opponents India have faced in ODIs.