The Black Caps’ dreams of kicking off their five-match ODI series against India with a win were dashed as the visitors clinched a six-wicket victory in the opening match in Mumbai.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and elected to bat first and the Black Caps got off to a steady start with openers Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls putting on a 45-run partnership before Guptill was removed by Indian speedster Navdeep Saini.
Nicholls and fellow opener Tom Latham kept the runs ticking over but the scoring rate slowed down as the Indian spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, began to take control of the game.
Latham and Nicholls both reached half-centuries and were supported by some late hitting from Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell Santner but the Kiwis still only managed to post 243/8 in their allotted fifty overs.
India’s chase was built around a century partnership between Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, who reached his fourth ODI fifty. Even after the dismissal of the Indian skipper, the Black Caps had no answer for veteran batsman Kedar Jadhav and the duo of Iyer and Jadhav took their side to victory with five balls to spare.
The highlight of the day for the Black Caps was the performance of spinner Todd Astle who finished with 3/39 from his ten overs. Daryl Mitchell also impressed with the ball, with the all-rounder ending with figures of 2/18 from his five overs.
The Black Caps will now look to bounce back in the second ODI, which takes place on Wednesday.