Vadodara, Jan 11 (NationPress) New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell shared his excitement over the opportunity for young players on his team to experience cricket in India for the first time. He emphasized that there is no better atmosphere than performing in front of a vibrant Indian crowd dressed in blue.

Mitchell stood out as the leading scorer for his team after they were asked to bat first, contributing an impressive 84 runs off 71 balls as the Kiwis managed to set a total of 300/8 at the Kotambi International Stadium (BCA).

After the first innings, Mitchell remarked that reaching 300 on a slower pitch was quite satisfying. “As a team, the way we fought our way to that total on this surface gives us something to defend. We always desire more as a team. Although we lost a few wickets in the middle overs, the partnerships we formed were crucial. Achieving 300 on a slower wicket is commendable, especially for us Kiwis. Now, we need to bring energy to our bowling and see what we can achieve with the ball. Also, the new rule of having one ball after 34 overs makes it softer and more challenging to hit. That’s the modern challenge in one-day cricket - maximizing whatever runs we can get,” he commented.

Regarding his LBW review, he noted, “Honestly, it was pretty out; it was probably more wishful thinking than anything else. We need to be clear with our plans, understanding how the opposition will approach the game.”

“It's fantastic that we have young players experiencing India for the first time - there’s no better venue than in front of a packed crowd of blue,” Mitchell remarked about the young New Zealanders’ cricket experience in India.