Hanuma Vihari assessed Shreyas Iyer's captaincy and batting performance after India defeated New Zealand 3-2 in a five-match T20I series.
At Hamilton on November 1, 2026, India secured a 3-2 victory in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. The contest had commenced on October 22 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, with Shreyas Iyer leading the Indian side.
Hanuma Vihari offered his assessment of the series and the performances of key players, acknowledging the contributions of both Ishan Kishan and Iyer while also noting where the captain fell short of expectations. Vihari recognised the dual challenge of captaincy and maintaining batting standards throughout the contest.
"I think Ishan Kishan deserves some credit. He needed that knock. In the last few games, it felt like he was not himself. But he scored a good half-century," Vihari said in a video on his YouTube channel.
"Shreyas Iyer also scored an amazing half-century. Good knock from the captain. I think he fell a little short in this series. He was good as captain but also brilliant as a batter," he added, as quoted by YouTube.
Iyer demonstrated his aggressive intent in the final match at Hamilton, scoring an unbeaten 50 from 23 deliveries. Across the five-match series, the captain accumulated 126 runs at an average of 25.20 with a strike rate of 151.80, showcasing his attacking approach despite the mixed results.
How did New Zealand's fielding impact the series?
New Zealand's fielding proved to be a critical factor in determining the series outcome. The visiting team struggled significantly with catching opportunities throughout the contest, which affected their chances of securing a series victory.
"Normally, New Zealand are a fantastic fielding side. They dropped 15 catches. If they hadn't, maybe they would have won the series. Fortunately for them, the dropped catches did not prove costly in the final match," Vihari said.
The conditions in New Zealand presented unique challenges for fielders, with the ball moving unpredictably through the air. Vihari drew on his own experience of playing in the country to explain the difficulties faced by the fielding side.
"But New Zealand is a tough place to catch as the ball swirls in the air. I have faced it when I played there. But 15 dropped catches are a lot and it showed in the series result for them," he added.
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India's dominance in the opening phase of the series proved decisive, though New Zealand mounted a strong challenge in the latter stages. Vihari reflected on how both teams' performances shaped the overall narrative of the contest.
"India dominated the first three games. New Zealand did in the next two. Overall, it was a great series for India, but New Zealand deserves a lot of credit," Vihari said.