Virat Kohli struck a commanding 74 off 51 balls at Eden Park, Auckland, on 4 November 2026 — a day before his 38th birthday — as India chased down a revised DLS target of 143 in 32 overs in just 22.4 overs to claim a five-wicket win and a 1-0 lead in the five-match ODI series. The knock prompted an admiring assessment from New Zealand fast bowler Jacob Duffy, who had observed Kohli from both the opposition crease and the IPL nets: 'There's not many holes in that man's game.'

Kohli's Match-Winning Knock

Kohli walked in with India needing quick runs and delivered exactly that — authoritative pull shots, a stunning cover drive on the up, and an intent that immediately neutralised any New Zealand momentum. His innings was laden with the kind of controlled aggression that has defined his white-ball batting across two decades.

India had bowled New Zealand out for 185 in 40.2 overs after the hosts elected to bowl first. Arshdeep Singh claimed four wickets, Gurnoor Brar took three, and Player of the Match Anshul Kamboj was exceptional with figures of 2 wickets for just 22 runs in 10 overs. Rain then intervened, resetting the chase via the DLS method.

What Duffy Said About Kohli

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Duffy — who had shared dressing-room proximity with Kohli as a net bowler during IPL 2026 in Bengaluru — offered candid praise. 'It was a bit annoying, wasn't it? Small targets like that. If you get a guy to come out with that kind of intent to knock it off, it can just break the chase pretty easily and he's a pretty good guy to do it. Quite impressive, wasn't he? Like he didn't struggle with the bounce,' Duffy said.

He acknowledged that Kohli's range left little margin for error. 'He got inside those hook shots, pull shots, and then he can whack you down the ground. No surprise, he's a good player. He's done it for a lot of years and he did that to me in the nets a lot in Bangalore,' Duffy added.

The pacer was candid that his IPL reconnaissance had not uncovered any exploitable flaw. 'I did get some intel in the nets over in Bangalore, but there's not many holes in his game, to be fair. On small grounds like that, he uses the pace really well, and then he can obviously, like I said, hit you over your head as well.'

New Zealand's Batting Struggles and Toss Factor

Duffy conceded that 180 was always likely to be insufficient at Eden Park, a ground renowned for short boundaries. He also pointed to the toss and rain as compounding factors. 'As soon as you get a little bit of moisture in the wicket... the rain sort of adds that moisture that the dew would have otherwise. So when it does skid on like that, it sort of takes away the tackiness,' he explained.

New Zealand's innings was given some late respectability by a 39-run last-wicket stand between Blair Tickner and Duffy himself, with Duffy quick to credit his partner: 'Tix batted well. Good ball striking for a number 11. Pretty impressive.'

Duffy on Kohli's Off-Field Presence and Series Intent

Beyond the cricket, Duffy reflected on the phenomenon of Kohli's celebrity — something he encountered first-hand during IPL travel. 'Following him around the airports and sitting on planes with him and stuff. It's a weird life. There's nothing we can fathom,' he said, adding that he admired how Kohli and other Indian players handled fan attention with patience.

Despite the defeat, Duffy was bullish about New Zealand's ability to respond. He backed the batting unit to adapt and promised his side would not go quietly in the remaining four matches. 'We showed our intent for the series. We're not going to back down. We're going to come hard at these guys,' he said. The second ODI is scheduled for Saturday in Wellington.