IND vs NZ 3rd ODI: Captain Shubman Gill defends out-of-form Rohit Sharma, giving a befitting reply to the critics.

Posted on 19th Jan 2026 by rohit kumar

In the third ODI between India and New Zealand, the Kiwi team secured a 41-run victory, clinching the three-match ODI series 2-1. After the series concluded, Indian captain Shubman Gill answered several questions at a press conference. When asked about the poor performance of Indian veteran Rohit Sharma, Captain Gill gave a candid response. Let's find out what Gill said.

 

 

IND vs NZ: Shubman Gill defends Rohit Sharma

In the press conference, Captain Shubman Gill (Shubman Gill on Rohit Sharma) clearly stated that while Rohit Sharma didn't score big runs in this series, it doesn't diminish his abilities. Gill said that Rohit is in excellent form and has a record of outstanding performances in recent tournaments, such as the series against Australia and South Africa. He also added that it's not always possible to convert every start into a big score.

 

 

Gill told reporters,

 

"A batsman always wants to convert a good start into a big score. But due to the pressure of the game and difficult circumstances, it's not easy to score big every time. Rohit Sharma got some starts in this New Zealand series, which put the team in a good position in the middle of the match, but he couldn't make a significant contribution till the end." - Shubman Gill.

 

 

IND vs NZ 3rd ODI: Rohit scored a total of 61 runs

In the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, Rohit Sharma scored a total of 61 runs. In the first ODI played in Vadodara, Rohit scored 26 runs. In the second ODI, the Hitman scored 24 runs, and in the final ODI, he was dismissed after scoring 11 runs.

 

 

India's crushing defeat at home

Centuries from New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell (137) and Glenn Phillips (106) posed a significant challenge for India in the third ODI. Batting first, the Kiwi team posted a massive score of 337 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. In response, Virat Kohli played a brilliant innings of 124 runs, but he lacked support from other batsmen, and India lost the match by 41 runs.

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