Mitchell Santner Credits Shreyas Iyer After India's 5th ODI Win vs NZ: "Did A Great Job"

Mitchell Santner praises India's bowling after series-sealing win© AFP

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner acknowledged India's disciplined bowling effort in the fifth ODI, saying the visitors made excellent use of the conditions to secure a 22-run victory and clinch the five-match series 3-1. India defended a modest total of 209 at Bay Oval on Sunday, bowling New Zealand out for 187 in 48.1 overs to register their third ODI series triumph in the country. Santner felt his side had done well to restrict India but failed to build the substantial partnerships required during the chase. Assessing India's bowling performance, the New Zealand skipper praised the visitors for their bowling changes and their ability to strike at crucial moments.

"I think they bowled really well tonight. All four seamers bowled well, and Shreyas did a great job rotating them around. He obviously held Axar back because the seamers were going really well."

"They were able to chip away with wickets through the middle overs as well. I think if we had been able to extend each partnership a little longer, we would have won that game. There were definitely some tricky periods. They brought Arshdeep back at the right time and Siraj as well. So it was a great bowling performance," Santner said at the post-match press conference.

Despite the defeat, Santner was pleased with New Zealand's bowling display, particularly after limiting India to 209.

"I was very happy at the halfway stage. There was probably not as much in the pitch as we thought. The guys adapted well. It was obviously a little slow, and the way Beast (Michael Bracewell) operated through the middle overs was outstanding."

"I thought we were able to chip away with wickets throughout the innings. I was pretty happy with 209," he said.

However, New Zealand struggled to generate momentum during the chase, with India's bowlers maintaining pressure through disciplined lines and clever field placements.

"I think with the fields set, and because the pitch was a little two-paced, they squeezed us quite well. They also made great use of the bounce," Santner added.

The New Zealand captain also felt the 3-1 scoreline did not accurately reflect how competitive the series had been.

"You look at the scoreline, 3-1, and I think it was closer than that. We played some good cricket. Obviously, there was a bit of rain around and we lost a few tosses. But in between all that, there were a lot of positives."

"Even today and in the previous game, if we had taken things a little deeper, there was enough time in 50-over cricket. Different guys got opportunities, and it was good experience. A number of players stepped up as well, which was nice," he said.

India's bowling attack was led by Arshdeep Singh, who returned figures of 3/30, while Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel claimed two wickets apiece. Auqib Nabi, Yash Thakur and Naman Dhir chipped in with a wicket each.

Dean Foxcroft top-scored for New Zealand with 31, while Santner contributed 24. Chasing 210, the hosts were eventually dismissed for 187.

Santner also provided an update on the hand injury he suffered while batting.

"Pretty sore, not a lot," he said with a smile.

"It's not great. I'll have an X-ray tomorrow morning and we'll see what it is."

Earlier, India were bowled out for 209 in 42.1 overs after being asked to bat. Ishan Kishan and Axar Patel scored 46 runs each, while stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer contributed 22.

For New Zealand, Mitchell Santner and Jacob Duffy picked up three wickets each, while Matthew Fisher claimed two.

India's victory secured their third ODI series win in New Zealand, following earlier successes in 2009 and 2018-19.

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

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