Top 5 performances from the India vs New Zealand ODI series

India clinched the three-match ODI series against the Blackcaps by winning the all-important decider in Kanpur. It was a humdinger of a match as both the teams fought valiantly until the final few overs, where the Indian bowlers managed to hold on to their nerves.

With Colin Munro and Kane Williamson showing the way with blistering knocks, the Kiwis were always in the game, until they were foxed by the brilliant death bowling of Jasprit Bumrah. The series was as enthralling as one could imagine, with its fair share of twists and turns in all the three games.

It proved to be a great spectacle in the end, as both teams played brilliantly throughout. Let us take a look at the top 5 performances from the ODI series.

---

#5 Trent Boult

Boult was literally unplayable in Mumbai

Trent Boult breathed fire in Mumbai, as he swung the ball prodigiously. He tormented the Indian openers Rohit and Dhawan, beating them both with pace and movement off the pitch. Boult's figures of 10-1-35-4, in such hot and humid conditions, were commendable. The left-armer accounted for both the openers in early exchanges and then came back at the end to take the crucial wickets of the big-hitting Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni.

While all other bowlers leaked runs, Boult was instrumental in keeping the Indian total to a minimum. Though he went wicketless in the next two matches, his performance in the 1st ODI was top notch and nothing short of brilliant.

#4 Rohit Sharma

Rohit carted the bowlers all around the park

With failures in both the previous encounters, Rohit Sharma needed a big score and he chose the best occasion, the series decider to show the world what he's made of. He entertained the capacity crowd at Kanpur in the 3rd ODI with audacious strokeplay and stunning sixes, scoring 147 off 138 deliveries, which included 18 fours and 2 sixes.

Particularly, his pull shot off Adam Milne for a six over midwicket was easily the shot of the match. This was his 5th century this calendar year, and 15th hundred overall. The striking feature was the way in which he respected the bowlers in the initial overs and teed off after the 30th over, bringing all his repertoire of shots into play.

#3 Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah was mercurial in India's series win

Probably the best death bowler in the world right now, Jasprit Bumrah helped India win the series decider at Kanpur and was almost unplayable during the last five overs. With New Zealand needing just 35 off the last four overs, Bumrah once again delivered when it mattered the most.

He conceded just 5 off the 48th over, running out Tom Latham in the process. With 15 to defend in the final over, he gave away just 8 runs and picked up the wicket of Mitchell Santner.

The level-headed nature and an impressive temperament at such a young age is laudable. More so as Bhuvneshwar Kumar was having an off day and Bumrah's captain needed him to stand up to the occasion.

He did so with consummate ease, also becoming the second fastest Indian to reach 50 ODI wickets. Bumrah has definitely blossomed as India's best bowler in the shorter formats.

#2 Tom Latham

Latham was at his imperious best throughout the series

If any New Zealand player deserved the Man of the series title, it had to be Tom Latham. After dropping down from his usual opening spot to the middle order, Latham could not have asked for a better transition. He helped the Kiwis take the lead in the three-match series, with a blistering 103* at Mumbai. He guided his team home in a tricky chase, as they were three down with little on the board when he strode out to the middle.

If not for a run out in Kanpur, things could have been different for New Zealand. He played the spinners with visible comfort, scoring risk-free boundaries against them. He was New Zealand's best player in the series, by a country mile.

#1 Virat Kohli

The Indian skipper scored 2 hundreds in the series

After a poor series against the Aussies, Virat Kohli would have been raring to go against the Blackcaps.

The skipper scored 263 runs in 3 matches, including 2 hundreds in Mumbai and Kanpur respectively. However, his 121 in Mumbai has to be one of his best knocks of all time. Given the energy-sapping conditions and the way Boult was firing on all cylinders, Kohli took it upon himself to help the team reach a respectable score.

He formed crucial partnerships, first with Dinesh Karthik and then with Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the end, dragging the total to 280 when 250 seemed difficult. In Kanpur, he scored another swashbuckling hundred, his 32nd in ODI cricket, as he walloped the New Zealand bowling attack along with Rohit Sharma. In the process, he became the 6th Indian to cross the 9000 run mark in ODI cricket.