Date: January 19, 2014
Location: McLean Park, Napier, New Zealand
Event: 1st ODI, India vs. New Zealand
The transition from the enclosed, structured training sessions at Eden Park to the open, wind-swept expanse of McLean Park in Napier marked the official beginning of the five-match ODI series.
New Zealand in January offered a distinct, biting challenge. The skies were clear, but a stiff, persistent breeze rolled right off the Pacific Ocean, sweeping across the ground. McLean Park was famous for two specific geographical traits: a traditionally flat, true batting surface, and short square boundaries that made defending totals a tough task for fielding captains.
Up in the broadcasting box, the commentary team looked down at the freshly rolled 22 yards.
"A very warm welcome to everyone joining us from around the world," former New Zealand fast bowler Ian Smith said over the television feed. "We are in beautiful Napier for the first ODI between New Zealand and India. The wind is certainly blowing across the ground today. I am joined by Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull. Harsha, India comes into this series with a lot of momentum, but these conditions are a world away from the subcontinent."
"They certainly are, Ian," Harsha Bhogle agreed, wrapping his jacket tighter against the draft in the open-air box. "The drop-in pitch here usually offers true bounce, which the Indian top order will enjoy. However, with the two new white balls and this stiff breeze, Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan are going to find a lot of conventional swing early on. The Indian openers will need to be watchful in the first ten overs."
"The toss is going to be interesting," Simon Doull added, leaning over the desk. "With these short square boundaries, setting a target is tough because no score ever feels truly safe. The bowlers have very little margin for error on the leg side. Let's head down to the middle."
Down on the pitch, Ravi Shastri stood with the two captains: MS Dhoni and Brendon McCullum.
"Welcome to the toss for the first ODI of the series," Shastri's voice echoed over the stadium PA. "MS Dhoni has the coin. Brendon McCullum to call."
Dhoni flipped the coin high into the windy Napier sky.
"Tails," McCullum called out.
The match referee checked the turf. "It is heads. India wins the toss."
"MS, you've won the toss. What's the decision today?" Shastri asked.
"We are going to bowl first, Ravi," Dhoni answered simply, adjusting his collar against the wind. "The pitch looks good, but with the breeze around, we feel our seamers can get some movement early on. It's a small ground, so we prefer to know exactly what we are chasing. The dimensions here can be tricky to defend."
"Your playing eleven for the first match of the tour?"
"Shikhar and Rohit will open," Dhoni confirmed. "Virat, Siddanth, myself, Suresh, Jadeja, Ashwin, Bhuvi, Shami, and Ishant."
"Thanks, MS. Brendon, you are batting first. Are you happy with that?"
"We would have probably bowled first as well," McCullum smiled, his demeanor relaxed but competitive. "But the pitch looks like a great batting track. If we can see off the new ball, we have the firepower to post a big score. We just need to assess the conditions and build partnerships early on."
The Indian fielding unit jogged out onto the lush green outfield. MS Dhoni set a relatively attacking field to start, giving Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami catching options in the slip cordon to exploit the swinging ball.
Martin Guptill and Jesse Ryder walked out to open the batting for New Zealand.
"Here we go," Ian Smith announced as the crowd roared. "Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the first new ball. He relies heavily on swing, and he has a stiff breeze to work with today. Martin Guptill on strike."
Bhuvneshwar started impeccably. He pitched the ball on a good length, getting it to shape away gently from the right-hander. Guptill, however, was a master of his home conditions. Recognizing that letting the ball swing would be fatal, the tall New Zealand opener immediately decided to disrupt the bowler's length.
In Bhuvneshwar's second over, Guptill began taking two massive steps down the pitch before the ball was even released, smothering the swing and punching the ball through the covers.
"Guptill is being very proactive here," Simon Doull noted. "He knows Bhuvneshwar relies on that late movement, so he is stepping out to meet the ball on the full. It's a great tactic to put the bowler off his length."
MS Dhoni, squatting behind the stumps, watched Guptill charge down the pitch twice in one over. The Indian captain processed the problem instantly. He didn't yell at his bowler to bowl shorter.
Instead, before the fourth over began, Dhoni quietly took two steps forward.
"Well, look at this!" Harsha Bhogle exclaimed in the commentary box, genuine surprise in his voice. "MS Dhoni has walked right up to the stumps! He is keeping to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a medium-pace swing bowler, standing flush with the wickets! You rarely see a keeper stand up to a bowler hitting 135 kilometers per hour!"
"It is a smart tactical move from the Indian captain," Ian Smith praised. "Guptill wants to walk down the pitch to negate the swing. But with Dhoni standing right behind the stumps, if Guptill misses the ball, he will be stumped in a fraction of a second. Dhoni has physically trapped the batsman inside his crease!"
The move worked perfectly. Grounded to his crease by the looming threat of the quick wicket-keeper, Guptill was forced to play from his crease. Bhuvneshwar began finding the outside edge, building pressure with a string of dot balls.
By the 12th over, New Zealand had reached 58 for no loss, but the run rate was stagnating. The pressure was mounting on the openers.
MS Dhoni, recognizing that the opening bowlers were tiring and the ball was losing its initial swing, tossed the ball to Deva.
"Siddanth Deva comes into the attack as the first change," Harsha Bhogle noted. "India needs a breakthrough here. Guptill and Ryder are looking settled. Deva has the pace to break this partnership."
Siddanth marked his run-up. He knew Guptill was feeling the pressure of the dot balls and would be looking for a release shot.
Siddanth ran in, his boots pounding against the turf. He delivered a heavy, 142 kmph back-of-a-length delivery, angling it sharply into Guptill's ribs. Guptill, cramped for room but desperate to score, tried to force a pull shot. He failed to get on top of the extra bounce. The ball caught the splice of the bat and lobbed softly toward short mid-wicket, where Ravindra Jadeja took a simple catch.
"Got him! Deva strikes in his first over!" Simon Doull called out. "A well-executed heavy ball. Guptill was frustrated by the tight overs, went for a release shot, and the extra bounce does the trick. India gets the breakthrough."
Martin Guptill: c Jadeja b Deva 31 (35)
Kane Williamson walked in at number three, immediately setting about stabilizing the innings. However, at the other end, Jesse Ryder was looking dangerous. The burly left-hander was a powerhouse, and the short square boundaries of McLean Park were suited to his aggressive pull and hook shots.
Ryder hit Ravichandran Ashwin for a massive six over mid-wicket, taking full advantage of the stadium's unique geography.
When Siddanth returned for his second over to bowl to Ryder, he analyzed the field. The square boundaries were barely sixty meters away. Any short ball, even a well-directed bouncer, ran the risk of taking a top edge and flying for a six over fine leg or square leg.
Siddanth adjusted his strategy instantly.
"Deva is bowling very full to Ryder here," Ian Smith observed. "He is not giving him any room to play his favored square cuts or pulls."
Siddanth pitched the ball right up, rolling his fingers over the seam to deliver straight, full off-cutters. He was deliberately forcing Ryder to hit straight down the ground, where the boundaries were longer and protected by fielders on the rope.
Frustrated by the lack of width and unable to access his favorite scoring zones, Ryder attempted to force a full cutter away from his body, trying to muscle it over extra cover. The ball gripped slightly on the pitch, taking the outer half of the bat, and flew sharply to Suresh Raina at backward point.
"Caught! Deva picks up his second!" Harsha Bhogle cheered. "That is high-class cricketing awareness from the Vice-Captain. He recognized the danger of the short square boundaries and denied Ryder the length to hit there. He forced him to play straight, and Ryder falls into the trap."
Jesse Ryder: c Raina b Deva 48 (52)
Ross Taylor joined Williamson at the crease. The two batsmen built a solid, gritty partnership. They manipulated the field expertly, running hard between the wickets and punishing loose deliveries from Ishant Sharma and Jadeja.
As the innings entered the final ten overs, the score was 215 for 2. New Zealand was poised for a score well over 300.
MS Dhoni brought Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar back to bowl at the death. Shami bowled brilliantly, executing flawless yorkers that accounted for Williamson (71) and Corey Anderson in quick succession. Bhuvneshwar managed to keep Ross Taylor quiet with a mix of wide yorkers and slower bouncers.
Siddanth bowled the 48th over, conceding just six runs and keeping the pressure squarely on the New Zealand lower order.
Thanks to a clinical death-bowling display, India restricted New Zealand, pulling them back from a massive total.
NEW ZEALAND: 288/7 (50 Overs)
Kane Williamson: 71 (88 balls)
Ross Taylor: 55 (64 balls)
"A competitive total posted by New Zealand," Harsha Bhogle summarized during the innings break. "288 is a good score on this ground, but they will feel they left twenty runs out there. The Indian death bowling was superb. Siddanth Deva was highly effective in the middle overs, picking up 2 for 45 and breaking crucial partnerships. Chasing 289 will require a disciplined effort from the Indian top order against the swinging new balls."
The floodlights at McLean Park cut through the gathering evening dusk. The wind had picked up slightly, creating a chill in the air as Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma walked out to begin the chase.
Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan took the two new white balls for New Zealand.
Southee started from the Pavilion End. In his very first over, he found beautiful outswing. The third delivery was pitched perfectly on a good length, shaping away from the left-handed Dhawan. Dhawan, attempting to drive through the covers, played away from his body. The ball caught a thick outside edge and flew straight into the waiting gloves of Luke Ronchi.
"Edged and taken! Southee strikes in the first over!" Ian Smith roared, the home crowd erupting in cheers. "Classic Tim Southee! Perfect line, perfect length, and the outswing does the rest. Dhawan is gone without scoring, and India are rocked early."
Shikhar Dhawan: c Ronchi b Southee 0 (4)
Virat Kohli strode out to the middle at number three. He tapped the pitch, his jaw set with clear intent.
Kohli and Rohit Sharma absorbed the early pressure. McClenaghan bowled with fiery pace, testing Rohit with short-pitched deliveries, but Rohit looked elegant and unbothered, hooking the fast bowler for a boundary to get his innings underway.
The pair steadied the ship, taking the score to 55 for 1 by the end of the Powerplay.
However, in the 12th over, the left-arm angle of McClenaghan proved effective. He bowled a delivery that angled across Rohit. Rohit tried to guide it down to third man, but the ball held up on the pitch just a fraction. He chopped it onto his own stumps.
"Chopped on! McClenaghan gets the breakthrough!" Simon Doull called out. "Rohit Sharma was looking so fluent, but he plays on, and New Zealand have their second wicket. The match is evenly poised here."
Rohit Sharma: b McClenaghan 32 (38)
The score was 55 for 2. The target of 289 was still 234 runs away.
Siddanth Deva walked out of the pavilion, adjusting his gloves.
"Here comes Siddanth Deva," Harsha Bhogle noted. "This is a critical partnership for India. They have two of their best chasers at the crease. The required run rate is manageable, but they cannot afford to lose another wicket here."
Siddanth took his guard against the off-spin of Nathan McCullum, who had just been introduced into the attack. He didn't try to force the pace immediately. He played the ball late, pushing it into the gaps on the off-side for a comfortable single to get off the mark.
At the other end, Virat Kohli looked like he was batting on a completely different pitch. He was in absolute control. When Corey Anderson pitched the ball up, Kohli leaned into a flawless cover drive. When Southee dropped it short, Kohli rolled his wrists and pulled it masterfully through mid-wicket.
"The pitch is playing beautifully, Sid," Kohli said as they crossed for a single. "The ball is coming onto the bat perfectly."
"Just keep doing what you're doing, Cheeku," Siddanth replied smoothly. "I'll anchor this end. We take it deep."
For the next ten overs, the two batsmen put on a clinic in ODI run-chasing. They didn't resort to reckless slogging; they dismantled the New Zealand bowling attack with precise, traditional cricketing shots. They pushed the ball into the outfield and ran aggressively between the wickets.
However, as the match reached the 25th over, a bizarre, uniquely Napier phenomenon occurred.
As the sun began to set in the New Zealand sky, it dropped to a specific, incredibly low angle on the horizon. Because McLean Park lacked a grandstand on one side of the ground to block the light, the blazing rays of the setting sun aligned directly with the pitch, shining straight into the batsman's eyes from behind the bowler's arm.
Virat Kohli, on strike, stepped away from the crease, putting his hand up to shield his eyes. He physically could not see the ball being released.
The umpires convened in the middle of the pitch, squinting against the glare, and officially halted play.
"Well, you don't see this very often," Harsha Bhogle chuckled from the commentary box. "Play has been suspended at McLean Park due to a sun strike. The setting sun is shining directly into Virat Kohli's eyes, making it unsafe for the batsmen to face 140 kmph fast bowling. We will have to wait for the sun to dip behind the horizon before play can resume."
Out in the middle, the players relaxed. Drinks were brought out. Siddanth and Virat walked away from the pitch, sitting down on the lush green outfield grass near square leg, taking off their helmets and sipping from bright green Gatorade bottles.
Kohli looked irritated by the delay. He had been in a flawless rhythm.
"Of all the things to stop a cricket match, the sun is in my eyes?" Kohli complained, wiping sweat from his face with a towel. "What kind of stadium aligns the pitch directly with the sunset? I was timing the ball perfectly. Now we have to sit here and wait. It breaks the momentum."
Siddanth leaned back on his elbows, stretching his long legs out on the grass. He looked at his frustrated teammate and let out a soft, amused laugh.
"Relax, Cheeku," Siddanth said, taking a sip of Gatorade. "Look at it this way. It's like a bad movie script."
Kohli frowned, looking at him. "A movie script?"
"Yeah," Siddanth grinned, slipping into a relaxed, conversational banter. "You know how it goes. The hero is fighting the villains, beating them up effortlessly. He's winning too easily. The director realizes there's no tension in the scene. But the villains can't stop the hero, so what does the director do? He throws in a completely random natural disaster to build suspense."
Kohli stared at him for a second before a genuine laugh escaped him, the frustration melting away.
"So the New Zealand bowlers couldn't get us out, and the sun decided to step in and save them?" Kohli chuckled, shaking his head. "That is a ridiculous comparison."
"I'm just saying," Siddanth smiled smoothly, tapping his Gatorade bottle against Kohli's. "In the movies, the hero usually yells at the sky or shoots an arrow at the sun. Here, we just get to sit on the grass and drink. Don't worry about the momentum. The sun will go down in fifteen minutes, the lights will take over, and then we finish the movie. The climax is still ours."
Kohli grinned, his competitive energy returning. "You watch way too many masala movies. But fine. We finish them under the lights."
Fifteen minutes later, the sun finally dipped below the horizon, and the massive stadium floodlights took full effect. The umpires called the players back to the center.
The break hadn't disrupted their rhythm at all; if anything, the brief rest had rejuvenated them.
Siddanth began to accelerate. Recognizing that Kohli was nearing his century, Siddanth took on the role of the aggressor against the seamers.
Facing Mitchell McClenaghan, Siddanth shuffled across his stumps and scooped the fast bowler over short fine leg for a boundary. In the next over, he pulled Nathan McCullum fiercely into the deep mid-wicket stands for a massive six.
He reached his half-century off 45 balls.
"Fifty for Siddanth Deva," Harsha Bhogle announced as Siddanth tapped his bat to the crowd. "A very mature, well-paced innings. He has ensured that the pressure never builds on Virat Kohli at the other end."
The score reached 225 for 2 in the 38th over. The target was 64 runs away, and India was cruising.
Kohli was batting on 94, looking incredibly comfortable. Siddanth, batting on 75, was looking to finish the game quickly.
Brendon McCullum, desperate for a breakthrough, handed the ball to Corey Anderson. The muscular all-rounder possessed a very deceptive slower delivery.
Anderson ran in to bowl to Siddanth. He hit his delivery stride with a fast arm action, but at the last microsecond, he rolled his fingers heavily over the top of the ball, releasing it out of the back of his hand.
It was a brilliantly disguised, dipping slower ball.
Siddanth, stepping out to launch the ball over long-off, was deceived by the lack of pace and the sudden dip in trajectory. He was through his shot far too early. The ball took the toe end of the bat and flew flat toward long-off. Martin Guptill timed his jump perfectly to take a sharp catch just inside the boundary rope.
"Caught in the deep! Anderson breaks the stand!" Simon Doull yelled. "Deva tries to clear the ropes but is undone by a great slower ball. A fantastic innings of 75 comes to an end, but he has put India in a dominant position."
Siddanth Deva: c Guptill b Anderson 75 (62)
Siddanth stood at the crease for a second. He looked down the pitch at Corey Anderson, offering a respectful nod to the New Zealand all-rounder for a good delivery before tucking his bat under his arm and walking off the pitch.
Suresh Raina walked out to the middle, but today belonged entirely to the man at the other end.
In the 41st over, Virat Kohli pushed a delivery from Tim Southee to point and sprinted across the pitch for a quick single.
The Delhi batsman took off his helmet, dropping to his knees on the Napier pitch, and let out a loud roar into the New Zealand evening sky. He jumped back up to his feet, pumping his fist toward the cheering Indian dressing room.
"A CENTURY FOR VIRAT KOHLI!" Harsha Bhogle announced over the broadcast. "What a flawless run chase! He came in when the ball was moving, absorbed the pressure, and has dominated the New Zealand bowling attack! A great display of pacing an ODI innings!"
With the milestone achieved, Kohli hit consecutive boundaries off McClenaghan in the next over, bringing the required runs down to single digits.
Raina was caught at short cover trying to finish the game with a glory shot, bringing MS Dhoni out to the middle.
With just four runs required, Dhoni faced Corey Anderson in the 44th over. The Indian captain didn't waste any time. He stepped back and punched a length delivery straight down the ground, clearing the infield for a boundary to seal the match.
INDIA: 290/4 (43.4 Overs)
Virat Kohli: 115 Not Out (108 balls)
The Indian dressing room stood up, applauding the victory. It was a comprehensive 6-wicket win, executed with plenty of overs to spare.
The post-match presentation was held on the edge of the outfield, the stadium lights illuminating the stage.
Simon Doull stood at the podium with a microphone.
"A dominant performance by the Indian team today," Doull addressed the crowd. "They restricted New Zealand to 288 and then chased it down with ease. I have with me the Man of the Match, for a spectacular century... Virat Kohli!"
Kohli jogged up to the podium, beaming as he accepted the trophy.
"Virat, congratulations on a phenomenal hundred. You came in early when the ball was swinging, but you made it look easy out there."
"Thank you, Simon," Kohli smiled, wiping sweat from his forehead. "It was a good pitch to bat on once the new ball lost its shine. The wind was a bit tricky early on, but Rohit and I just tried to play straight. Once I got my eye in, the ball was coming onto the bat nicely."
"You shared a massive 170-run partnership with Siddanth Deva. That stand took the game away from us. How much does it help having someone like him at the other end?"
"It helps immensely," Kohli answered genuinely, looking toward the Indian dressing room. "Sid is fantastic at reading the game. We communicated well, kept rotating the strike, and he took on the bowlers when we needed a boundary to release the pressure. It allowed me to just focus on my natural game. He batted beautifully today, and Bhuvi and Shami set the tone for us in the field."
"A brilliant knock, Virat. Congratulations."
As the presentation ended, the broadcasting feed returned to the commentary box for a final wrap-up.
"Well, that wraps up a comprehensive victory for India," Ian Smith signed off on the broadcast, shuffling his notes. "They were tested early by Guptill and Williamson, but their bowlers pulled it back brilliantly at the death. And that run chase was as professional as it gets. India takes a 1-0 lead in this five-match series. From all of us here in Napier, thank you for joining us, and goodnight!"
Siddanth Deva walked back into the dressing room with his kitbag. He had bowled a tight, crucial spell to restrict the hosts and then played a vital, aggressive supporting role with the bat to ensure the chase never derailed.
Kohli walked in a moment later, holding his Man of the Match trophy.
"Great knock, Cheeku," Siddanth smiled, tossing him a bottle of water. "You didn't give them a chance."
"Thanks, Sid. We built a good one out there," Kohli grinned, taking a sip of water. "Even with the movie script interruptions."
Siddanth chuckled. "One down. Four to go."
The series had officially begun, and India had firmly drawn first blood on foreign soil.
[SIDDANTH DEVA MATCH STATS: Batting: 75 (62 balls) | Bowling: 2 for 45 (10 overs)]