On November 4, 2026, Virat Kohli's unbeaten 74 off 51 balls steered India to a five-wicket victory over New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland during the first ODI of the series. The Indian batter struck 13 fours and one six while chasing down a revised target of 143, which India completed in just over 22 overs. Kohli's aggressive approach proved decisive in the chase, bringing up his 80th ODI fifty off just 35 balls. Captain Shubman Gill contributed 37 runs in a crucial 113-run partnership for the second
wicket that stabilised the innings after Rohit Sharma's early dismissal.
Jacob Duffy, the New Zealand pacer who eventually dismissed Kohli for 74, reflected on the Indian batter's exceptional performance with considerable respect. The two players had shared a dressing room at Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the IPL 2026 title-winning campaign, giving Duffy direct insight into Kohli's methods and technical strengths. This familiarity made Duffy's assessment of Kohli's display particularly noteworthy, as he had observed the batter's approach both in the nets and during competitive cricket.
"Yeah, it was a bit annoying, wasn't it?" Duffy joked during the post-match press conference after India's comprehensive win.
"Small targets like that, if you get a guy to come out with that kind of intent to knock it off, it can break the chase pretty easily. And he's a pretty good guy to do it, quite impressive, wasn't he?" he added.
What did Duffy observe about Kohli's technique and approach?
Duffy highlighted Kohli's technical soundness and adaptability to Eden Park's conditions. The New Zealand bowler noted that Kohli managed the bounce effectively and demonstrated the range to execute both pull and hook shots before striking the ball down the ground with authority. Duffy's assessment underscored the difficulty of bowling to a batter of Kohli's calibre, particularly in a high-pressure chase scenario where the small ground dimensions favour aggressive batting.
"He didn't struggle with the bounce. He got inside those hook shots, pull shots, and then he could whack you down the ground. No surprise, he's a good player. He's done it for a lot of years, and he did that to me in the nets a lot in Bangalore," Duffy said.
Duffy elaborated on how Kohli's game translates across different ground sizes and match situations. At Eden Park, where the boundaries are relatively short, Kohli's ability to use the pace of the ball and generate power over the infield proved particularly effective. The pacer acknowledged that Kohli's skill set leaves little room for bowlers to exploit, regardless of the venue or the match context.
"Small grounds like that, he uses the pace really well, and then he can hit you over your head as well. So, there's not many holes in that man's game," Duffy said.
How does Kohli adapt his game to different match situations?
Duffy also reflected on whether Kohli's aggressive approach would remain consistent if New Zealand had posted a larger total or if India were batting first. The pacer suggested uncertainty about how Kohli might adjust his strategy in different match scenarios, though he acknowledged the batter's proven ability to succeed across varying situations throughout his career.
"If they're batting first or there's a bigger score on the board, it would be interesting to see if he plays like that. I'm not sure, I don't know if he will," Duffy said.
Also Read: Subramaniam Badrinath names his top 5 ODI cricketers of all time, no place for Virat Kohli
Despite his familiarity with Kohli from their time together at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Duffy remained cautious about revealing the specific tactical insights he had gained during their nets sessions in Bangalore. The New Zealand bowler's final assessment reinforced his earlier observation that Kohli's technical and tactical armoury offers bowlers very few opportunities to find weaknesses.
"I won't give away all their scouting tips. I did get some intel at the nets in Bangalore, but there's not many holes in his game, to be fair," Duffy said.
