New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said his side had the ability to chase down India's modest total of 209 in the fifth ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on Sunday, 15 November — but credited India's seamers for picking off partnerships at crucial moments. India won by 22 runs to clinch the series 3-1.

Santner's Take on the Chase

'I think if we had taken each partnership a little bit longer, we would have won that game,' Santner said at the post-match presentation ceremony. He acknowledged that India's bowling unit was disciplined throughout, noting that all four seamers performed well under the direction of stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer. 'They were able to chip wickets away through the middle as well,' he added.

Santner specifically highlighted the impact of Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj being recalled at the right moments. 'They brought Arshdeep back on at the right time and Siraj as well. So it was a great bowling performance,' he said, crediting India's bowling management as a key factor in the result.

Pitch Conditions Played a Role

The New Zealand captain also pointed to the nature of the surface at Bay Oval, saying it was 'a little bit two paced' and that India made effective use of the bounce. 'I think with the fields, they squeezed us pretty well,' Santner said, suggesting that New Zealand's batters struggled to build momentum against a disciplined attack on a surface that offered variable pace.

Santner Pleased With First Innings Total

Earlier in the day, New Zealand had restricted India to 209 — a total Santner admitted was not as challenging as he had hoped, but one he was broadly satisfied with. He praised off-spin bowling all-rounder Michael Bracewell, whom he referred to by his nickname 'Beast', for his impact through the middle overs. 'The way Beast kind of operated through the middle was outstanding,' Santner said. 'I was pretty happy with the 200 (209).'

Santner Reflects on a Competitive Series

Looking back at the series as a whole, Santner suggested the 3-1 scoreline did not fully reflect how competitive New Zealand had been. 'I think it was closer than that. We played some good cricket. Obviously there was a little bit of rain around and we lost a few tosses,' he said. He added that the squad had benefited from the experience of different players stepping up across the five matches.

Santner Injury Update

Santner was hit on the hand while batting during the chase and required attention from the team physio during the innings. He confirmed the injury was still causing discomfort after the match. 'Pretty sore — not a lot (smiles), it's not great. An x-ray tomorrow morning, let's see what it is,' he said, suggesting he will await scan results before assessing the extent of the damage.

With the series now concluded, attention turns to what this result means for both sides heading into the next phase of their international calendars — New Zealand will look to regroup, while India will carry confidence from a series win on foreign soil.