IND vs NZ Live score: New Zealand (27/1 in 9 ovs), as India pacers dampen early attack plans in 285 chase

Will Young chooses caution over flair against Harshit Rana and you can see why. Nothing risky, nothing extravagant, just survival mode as Rana fires in another probing over.

Maiden for the India pacer, whose rhythm has been the standout of these early overs, pinning New Zealand down with a relentless line that simply isn’t allowing free arms. Shubman Gill’s faith in Rana is already paying rich dividends.

Oh, that’s a sharp moment! Harshit Rana is already extracting some extra bounce, and Devon Conway felt it the hard way. The ball climbed awkwardly from a good length, and Conway lost his bat while attempting the shot.

That’s exactly the kind of pressure Rana will be looking to build—forcing mistakes and testing the batters early.

India will be delighted to see the pacer generating movement and bounce; these are the encouraging signs that could make the early overs really challenging for the Kiwi top order.

And we are underway! Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls are off to a solid, steady start at the crease. Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana are keeping it disciplined, hitting the right lengths and testing the Kiwi batters early.

Conway and Nicholls will be looking to build a strong platform, just like they did in the series opener at Vadodara.

The duo’s focus will be on seeing off the new ball and laying the foundation for a big total, while India will be eager to strike early and put pressure on the visitors. The tension is high and every delivery counts!

After Michael Bracewell removed Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul and Nitish Reddy ensured New Zealand weren’t allowed to strike back with consecutive wickets. The partnership has already swelled to 48 runs, with both batters finding ways to accelerate and keep the scoreboard ticking.

With five overs still to come, the duo will be eyeing an even more aggressive push. At this rate, don’t rule out 300 — India are well and truly capable of getting there from here.

There’s no stopping KL Rahul right now. He looks as composed as ever, almost meditating in the middle as the shots keep flowing effortlessly from his bat. If India are to push the total into the 275-plus range, Rahul simply has to be there till the end.

He’s seeing the ball like a football, timing everything to perfection, and has once again bailed India out of trouble. The big question now is whether he can stay the course and finish the innings in style.

With the final 10 overs now underway, the onus is firmly on KL Rahul to bat for as long as possible and ensure India can fully maximise the death overs. He is the set batter and the key to anchoring the innings, while Nitish Reddy also has an important role to play.

Reddy has the range to up the ante and clear the ropes, and together, the pair will look to rebuild quickly and inject momentum when it matters most.

And just as we were talking about New Zealand going back to their spinners, Michael Bracewell delivers the breakthrough. It’s a huge wicket, because Ravindra Jadeja was beginning to tee off after stitching together a handy partnership with KL Rahul, threatening to swing the momentum India’s way.

That dismissal drags India back to square one. The platform that Rahul and Jadeja had worked so hard to build has been broken, and the pressure is right back on the batting side.

Nitish Reddy, coming in for Washington Sundar, now has a big role to play. He’ll be keen to settle quickly and make an impact, with New Zealand sensing another opening to tighten their grip on the innings.

New Zealand still have 12 overs of spin in hand from Jayden Lennox, Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips, yet they’ve turned back to their fast bowlers. That’s a curious call, especially considering how effective the spinners have been — just 49 runs conceded in 15 overs between them, keeping India firmly in check.

On a surface that has offered grip and made stroke-making difficult, the spinners have not only controlled the run rate but also built sustained pressure, even without taking wickets. Going back to pace risks releasing that pressure and allowing KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja to settle further.

Unless New Zealand are banking on reverse swing or a short burst of hostility to force a mistake, logic suggests the spinners should be brought back into the attack soon. With so much control already established, a wicket through spin could be the key to tilting the game firmly back in the Black Caps’ favour.

KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja have put together a priceless partnership at a crucial juncture of the innings. Just when it appeared that New Zealand were beginning to assert control, the duo blended caution with timely aggression to raise their 50-run stand off 70 balls.

The momentum is slowly shifting, and the Black Caps will know they need a breakthrough quickly — allow Rahul and Jadeja to settle any further, and this partnership could inflict serious damage.

With 15 overs still left in the innings, it’s time for KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja to gently up the ante. They’ve spent enough time getting their eyes in, and now the onus is on the pair to step up a notch, rotate more aggressively and start shifting the pressure back onto the New Zealand bowlers.

If you told any bowler that they would be making their debut in Rajkot, a venue traditionally known for its batting-friendly surfaces, they would know they were in for a stern challenge. That, however, hasn’t been the case for Jayden Lennox.

The debutant has displayed impressive control over his line and length, bowling with maturity well beyond his experience. With figures of 6–0–22–0, Lennox has shown that he could be a handy option in subcontinent conditions, keeping the Indian batters firmly in check.

The spin trio of Jayden Lennox, Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell have been nothing short of stupendous so far. While a breakthrough has eluded them, they’ve kept a tight leash on the Indian batters, refusing to offer any breathing space.

Between them, they’ve conceded just 49 runs in 15 overs at an economy of 3.26, a remarkable effort given the quality and depth of India’s batting lineup.

After 63 balls without a boundary, India finally managed some relief as KL Rahul broke the shackles, carving a four off Glenn Phillips at a time when the New Zealand bowlers were beginning to look increasingly dangerous.

The release was much needed, but Rahul will know that it can’t be a one-off — he must now build on the start he has given himself and shoulder the responsibility of pulling India out of a precarious position.

With nearly half of India’s innings still ahead of them, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul know this is no time for risk. The next seven to eight overs are about survival and control, not bravado. One more wicket here and New Zealand will sense a firm grip on the contest, ready to tighten the noose and dictate terms in the middle.

After five successive fifty-plus scores for Virat Kohli in his last five innings. The star batter has been dismissed for 23 (29). It seemed as if it was coming as New Zealand had piled on the pressure on India. Kohli registers a low score just a few hours after attaining number one rank after four years.

As New Zealand continue to build pressure, Shreyas Iyer has thrown his wicket. The right-handed batter got off to a slowish start, scoring 8 off 16 balls and ended up hitting Kristian Clarke straight to mid off. The Kiwis have been relentless as spinners are doing at fine job at one end and wickets are falling at the other.

The left-arm spinner has been clinical so far in his spell, having bowled at a miserly economy rate of 3.60. He has been difficult to score against so far and has been instrumental in piling on the pressure on the hosts.

The India captain looked at his fluent best during his innings but has thrown away a great start. A hundred was there on the cards for Gill. However, he has given New Zealand exactly what they wanted. Jamieson was brought back for this very purpose and a wicket has opened up a window for New Zealand.

Rohit Sharma is not taking any chance. Kyle Jamieson has begun with two maidens.

The fast bowler is getting the ball to move both ways. He bowled a few tempters, getting it full and asking Rohit Sharma to take the risk. But, the former captain was cautious and did not give into it.

It's an ODI game and batters can take time.

Click here to read article