Memes and winning numbers went hand in hand as Daryl Mitchell once again tormented India to turn the ongoing ODI series into his personal highlight. As India and New Zealand decided the series in Indore on Sunday, social media erupted with jokes, similes and mock despair, all centered on one man – Mitchell.
On Sunday, Mitchell underlined his red-hot form with his second century of the series and produced another calm, commanding innings under pressure. After a shaky start for New Zealand, the right-hander stitched together a 219-run stand with Glenn Phillips, who really settled for the fourth wicket, effectively pulling away from India. Mitchell’s knock of 137 off 131 balls featured 15 fours and three sixes before he eventually fell short of Mohammed Siraj’s delivery, with Kuldeep Yadav completing a neat catch.
Mitchell was New Zealand’s most reliable batter throughout the series. He finished with 352 runs in three matches, including a set-to-back set. His 84 in the opening ODI in Vadodara came in defeat, but he followed it up with an unbeaten 131 in Rajkot to level the series, before coming through again in the decider.
Off the scorecards, Mitchell’s dominance sparked an online meme fest. One user summed up the Indian fans’ frustration perfectly, writing: “If you think Travis Head is India’s biggest nightmare, then ladies and gentlemen meet Daryl Mitchell.” Another joked in Hinglish: “Daryl Mitchell toh ruk hi nahi raha yaar.”
Comparisons with Australia’s Travis Head were constantly repeated. “If there’s one man Indian fans don’t want to see come in, it’s Daryl Mitchell. Game after game, series after series he turns up, absorbs the pressure and cooks India again – the new Travis Head in blue nightmares,” read one viral post. Others echoed the sentiment with hashtags like “#DarylMitchell is slowly becoming the new #TravisHead for India” and “Daryl Mitchell enters the ‘India ke dushman’ club”.
Statistically, the fear is justified. In his last seven ODI innings against India, Mitchell posted scores of 130, 134, 17, 63, 84, 131 and 100 – remarkable consistency against one of the strongest bowling attacks in world cricket.
The stakes were already high in Indore, with the series tied 1-1 after India’s four-wicket win in Vadodara and New Zealand’s seven-wicket victory in Rajkot. India, led by Shubman Gill, opted to bat first after winning the toss while fans also watched a parallel battle – Mitchell versus Virat Kohli – for the top spot in the ICC men’s batting rankings.