Vadodara, Jan 12 (UNI) India’s players Shreyas Iyer, Harshit Rana, and Washington Sundar expressed satisfaction after the team began the series with a win, highlighting the collective effort and key individual contributions in the opening ODI.
In a video released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer described the victory as an encouraging start and said he was pleased to be back with the national side after recovering from injury.
Iyer said, “Great start for the series. Coming back after a while into the team, it feels great to be a part of this squad. More than that, it was a great feeling to share the dressing room with each and every one. I was missing it for quite a while, but I am happy to be back.”
Iyer also lauded Virat Kohli’s innings of 93, his fifth consecutive fifty-plus score in ODIs, calling it another example of the senior batter’s consistency and ability to control an innings through strike rotation and calculated aggression.
All-rounder Harshit Rana, who played a key role with the ball, said he enjoyed dismissing New Zealand openers Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway in successive overs.
Rana explained that his delivery to Nicholls, intended to be bowled wide, turned into a wide yorker, before he followed it up by removing Conway in the next over.
Rana credited his father for encouraging him to develop as an all-rounder, adding, “He always used to think that all-rounders get early chances for playing in the Indian team. Even today, I think he is going to go hard on me for the way I got out. I am developing my game in such a manner that I can contribute with 30-40 runs for the team, coming at number 8.”
Washington Sundar, who partnered KL Rahul in the closing stages of the chase, said he enjoyed being part of the match-winning effort.
Sundar praised Rahul’s composure under pressure and said his own role was to manage the overs carefully and ensure Rahul faced the decisive deliveries.
India sealed the four-wicket win in the second last over, with Rahul finishing the chase in style, as the hosts took an early lead in the ODI series.
