India vs New Zealand 2017, 3rd ODI: 5 things we learnt from the match

A couple of terrific death overs from Jasprit Bumrah gave India a win in the series decider at Kanpur after they put on 337 batting first, courtesy centuries from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. New Zealand, not a side known to give up, hit back through Colin Munro and Kane Williamson before Tom Latham took up the finishing role and nearly pulled off an astounding run chase.

They eventually fell short by six runs but showed that they are capable of competing in this part of the world. Much of the match revolved around the Sharma-Kohli association with very few giving New Zealand a chance. But under lights, with the dew setting in, the ball came nicely onto the bat and New Zealand made it count.

Tom Latham, the hero of the tour for the Kiwis, smashed yet another half-century but just couldn't see it through till the end as he misjudged a run and ran himself out in the finishing stages of the game. Colin de Grandhomme, who struggled to time the ball, could not quite manage 15 in the final over bowled by Bumrah.

#5 The Hitman overcomes left-arm woes

Rohit Sharma went into his 'zone' as he smashed a belligerent hundred at Kanpur

Rohit Sharma had a disappointing series until today owing to his failings against the left-arm seam of Trent Boult. The Mumbaikar needed to get into his groove and he did that with aplomb, compiling a breathtaking 147 to take India to a majestic total.

The run machine was in his zone as he and Kohli, probably the most dangerous pair in world cricket today, took on the Black Caps bowlers with no mercy. Adam Milne kept probing with the short ball, but the Mumbaikar is an adept hooker of the cricket ball and dug into the quick bowler, smashing some jaw-dropping shots. He raced to a fifteenth ODI hundred in no time.

#4 Rampant Kohli smacks 32nd ODI ton

New Zealand had no answers to Kohli's blazing knock

Virat Kohli just loves hitting hundreds and he added one more to his collection, taking his tally to 32, with Tendulkar's 49 centuries well within his sights now. He put on a 230 run partnership with Rohit Sharma, making light work of New Zealand's bowling attack.

Kohli's innings was all about sublime timing, pristine cover driving and stunning strike rotation. Not once did he let the Kiwi bowlers settle into a rhythm, mercilessly compounding their woes with supreme running between the wickets.

#3 Bhuvneshwar Kumar's faulty opening spell

Munro took a special liking to Bhuvneshwar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the second best economy rate in the first 10 overs in ODIs since the 2015 World Cup. But when you are faced with a manic hitter like Colin Munro, you either slip in the knuckleball with success, or get taken to the cleaners. The Kiwi opener was in the mood today and went for broke from over one, hitting Bhuvi for a six and two fours.

Guptill and Williamson also dug into Bhuvneshwar, who had sent down a mesmerising spell only a few days ago at Pune. In the ninth over, Munro took him on by stepping out and slamming him over the mid-wicket boundary. His opening spell read 5-0-51-0.

#2 The Munro-threat

When he is in the zone there is little stopping Munro

Colin Munro is like Jesse Ryder, only more aggressive, barely cautious and a lot more adventurous. When he gets going, the laps, sweeps and reverse hits usually take a front seat. However, at Kanpur, the promoted Kiwi opener showed that his game had some authentic yet agricultural shots too.

Chasing a mammoth 338, New Zealand needed a flying start and Munro gave them exactly that, smashing Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six in the third ball of the innings and reaching his half-century by the 14th over. Munro looked set for a big score, however, Yuzvendra Chahal produced a ripper of a delivery to clean him up for 75.

#1 Tom Latham nearly does it again

Latham hit another fabulous half-century to cap off a great tour

Before the series, if Kohli was asked whose wicket he would love to get the most, the names of Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson or Ross Taylor would have cropped up. But it is Tom Latham who has been doing the job for the Black Caps on this tour. Pushed to the middle-order for his ability to play spin, Latham has done a marvellous job for the Kiwis.

Here at Kanpur, he resurrected a chase that was starting to go awry after the fall of Kane Williamson and Colin Munro. With Ross Taylor and then Henry Nicholls, Latham proceeded to build partnerships and worry the Indians with some sensible cricket. However, with the Kiwis close to pulling off a heist, Latham ran himself out for 65.