Daryl Mitchell’s Monstrous Stats Against India Has Fans Worried Ahead of Series Decider in Indore

In the 2023 World Cup, New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell excelled on Indian soil, amassing 578 runs across nine innings with a dominant 64.22 average.

Daryl Mitchell’s Monstrous Stats Against India Has Fans Worried Ahead of Series Decider in Indore

Daryl Mitchell scored a remarkable hundred in the second ODI against India in Rajkot. (via NDTV Sports)

New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell‘s impressive score of 131 runs off 117 balls in his team’s second ODI victory against the Men in Blue in Rajkot has left Indian cricket fans trembling. Mitchell’s strong statistics while playing in India remain worrying, ahead of the third ODI in Indore.

In the ongoing ODI series between India and New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell leads the scoring charts after the first two games. The 34-year-old began by scoring 84 runs off 71 deliveries in Vadodara, an effort that helped the Kiwis post a first-innings total of 300/8, though they ultimately lost the match. He followed up this performance with a stunning century in the second ODI in Rajkot, bringing his overall tally to 215.

Daryl Mitchell’s 131-run innings in Rajkot was a match-winning effort, as he helped his team chase down a 285-run target. The Blackcaps were on the back foot after losing openers Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls early on, until Mitchell and Will Young took charge.

They stitched a crucial 162-run partnership, while Glenn Phillips contributed a quick 32 runs, to secure a seven-wicket win. Mitchell was named POTM over KL Rahul, who had also scored a century in the first innings.

It also depicted Mitchell’s affinity for playing in India, a trend that began with his first appearance on Indian soil during the 2023 ODI World Cup. In 14 innings played in India, the 34-year-old has accumulated 801 runs at a remarkable average of 66.75, including three hundreds and three fifties. Additionally, he has been particularly effective against the Men in Blue in India, scoring over 500 runs against them, including the two centuries he made during his 2023 ODI World Cup campaign.

Mitchell also became the first New Zealand player to hit three centuries against India in the 50-over format, while playing in India. In doing so, he also joined the legendary Nathan Astle as the only Kiwi players with multiple ODI hundreds in India. Mitchell now holds the record for the second-most centuries against India in their home conditions, trailing only the legendary AB de Villiers, who achieved five.

The all-rounder’s exceptional form in these subcontinent conditions has sparked anxiety among Indian cricket fans before the series-deciding third ODI at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. Remarkably, Mitchell is now only one rating point behind Virat Kohli in the ICC ODI Batting Rankings.

Daryl Mitchell’s batting form leaves fans worried as all-rounder looks to seal historic series win over the Men in Blue

Kiwi all-rounder Daryl Mitchell is in ecstatic form, having recently scored a hundred during his team’s second ODI against India, to level the three-match series 1-1. The 34-year-old will now be seeking to secure a historic series victory against India on their home soil.

Daryl Mitchell form
Daryl Mitchell’s ecstatic form has left Indian cricket fans trembling. (via India Today)

The Blackcaps have never defeated India in an ODI series on Indian soil, with their most recent result against the Men in Blue being a 3-0 whitewash defeat during a 2022-23 tour. However, the ongoing series offers New Zealand a significant opportunity to secure a convincing win. Daryl Mitchell has been the standout performer for the Kiwis, having recorded a century and a fifty in the two ODIs played so far. 

Indian cricket fans are growing anxious due to the all-rounder’s unreal consistency in Indian conditions, given that he has scored 479 runs in his last four One-Day innings against India, at an average of 159.66. Some fans stated that the Indian bowlers must find a strategy to dismiss Mitchell in Indore. A few others proposed that he is perfectly suited for Indian pitches and attacks spin bowling with unique aggression.

Apart from Daryl Mitchell, Kyle Jamieson has also made a strong impression in the two ODIs against India, having taken five wickets. Debutant Kristian Clarke was particularly effective in the second ODI in Rajkot, where he secured a three-wicket haul.

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