"Bowlers Stood Up To The Occasion": Shreyas Iyer Reflects On India's 3-1 ODI Series Win vs NZ

Shreyas Iyer led India in the final two ODIs of the series© AFP

India stand-in ODI captain Shreyas Iyer credited the team's bowling attack and the collective mindset of the players for their 3-1 series victory against New Zealand, saying the bowlers consistently stepped up despite challenging conditions and batting difficulties throughout the series. India sealed their third bilateral ODI series win in New Zealand with a 22-run victory in the fifth and final match at Bay Oval on Sunday. Reflecting on the team's performance, Iyer said the series had largely favoured bowlers, who showed the confidence and character required to deliver under pressure.

"Definitely, if you see the whole series, it wasn't a series for batsmen. The way the bowlers bowled, they stood up to the occasion and definitely were confident enough to see to it that they would get the team through irrespective of the conditions. I think that's the mindset of all the players that we need and the character each and every individual possesses. It's top-notch," Iyer said during the post-match press conference.

The stand-in captain, who led India to 3-2 T20I series win before the ODIs, also highlighted the team's ability to adapt to changing weather and playing conditions during the T20I and ODI assignments, describing the two series victories as a significant achievement.

"I think both the T20 and ODI series coming over here, we were provided with different conditions. The weather kept changing. Facing a lot of challenges and coming out with triumphs, I think it's a great achievement. And today we had that certain kind of belief even though we didn't get that many runs in batting. But still, we were hoping that we could change the game at any point of time. And I'm glad that every individual thought in the same direction and we were able to execute that," he added.

India were bowled out for 209 in 42.1 overs after being asked to bat first in the fifth ODI. Ishan Kishan and Axar Patel top-scored with 46 runs each, while Iyer contributed 22. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner claimed three wickets, while Jacob Duffy also picked up three scalps.

Despite the modest total, India's bowlers produced a disciplined performance to restrict the hosts to 187 in 48.1 overs and secure a 22-run victory.

Iyer acknowledged that frequent changes in the playing combination, caused by injuries and players being unavailable, could make it difficult for individuals to settle into their roles. However, he said the team did not want to make excuses and focused on delivering its best.

"Yes, absolutely. It becomes at some point of time becomes challenging for the players when there's chopping and changing. They need to acclimatise to the condition and adapt, as you mentioned earlier. But we didn't want to give any excuse. We just wanted to live up to our expectations, and every individual was just willing to come out here and give their best," he said.

Arshdeep Singh led India's bowling effort with figures of 3/30, while Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel claimed two wickets each. Auqib Nabi, Yash Thakur and Naman Dhir picked up a wicket apiece.

Dean Foxcroft top-scored for New Zealand with 31, but regular wickets prevented the hosts from building a substantial partnership. The Kiwis were eventually dismissed for 187, with Axar taking the final wicket.

Iyer also thanked the Indian supporters who turned up in large numbers throughout the bilateral series, acknowledging their support irrespective of the results.

"Absolutely, we've been seeing them coming in numbers and the way they have supported irrespective of the results, you know. It went in our way sometimes; it went in New Zealand's way. They were supporting both the teams, which is very heartening to see. And this is the kind of support we need. And also the sport is growing to a different level. We know what kind of inspiration we get from them. So thanks a lot for the love and support to each and every one who have been here," he said.

Speaking about the competitive spirit between India and New Zealand, Iyer emphasised the importance of maintaining mutual respect away from the field while keeping the intensity intact during matches.

"I feel that that's how it should be. Off the field should be friendly, but on the field it's like a war," he said.

The series victory was India's third ODI series win in New Zealand, following their successes in 2009 and the 2018-19 season.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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