New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner admitted that 'small moments' in the opening matches of the five-match T20I series proved decisive, as the Kiwis fell 2-3 to India at home despite a spirited fightback in the closing stages of the tour.

A Series That Could Have Gone Either Way

Speaking after New Zealand's commanding seven-wicket victory over India at Seddon Park, Hamilton on Sunday, Santner reflected on the fine margins that shaped the outcome. 'We know that it was a very tight series against a very good team. But yeah, I think those small moments, as you said in the first couple of games where, you know, we probably could have won those games or should have. So the series could have looked a lot different,' the skipper said.

New Zealand were competitive throughout, first asking India to chase a record 226 in the opening match and then coming close to defending 180 in the second game. Despite dropping those early contests, the Kiwis regrouped to win the final two matches and close the series on a positive note.

Bowling Adaptation the Highlight

Santner was particularly pleased with how his bowlers adjusted during the latter half of the series, especially in the decisive fifth T20I. 'I think that was a little bit with the new ball, and then Shreyas and Kishan put their foot on the gas and we, the seamers, kind of mixed it up. Yorkers, wide, a little bit straight with length. So it was, yeah, it was good learning,' he noted.

The skipper highlighted the developmental value of the series, pointing out that the next time New Zealand play in similar conditions at that time of year could be the ICC T20 World Cup in a couple of years. 'You're learning from these games this time of the year,' he added.

Phillips the Standout Batter

Glenn Phillips was the undisputed batting star of the series, accumulating 341 runs across the five matches, including a century and a half-century. Santner was effusive in his praise for the batter. 'To do it every game is pretty special. He does give himself a little bit of time, and then he can hit some good areas, play some strong shots. And against a good bowling attack, as we've seen,' he said.

Santner credited Phillips as a 'crucial part' of a batting effort that delivered scores of 200-plus in most games, with one total climbing as high as 260. 'The batting's been really good,' he acknowledged.

Positives Despite the Series Loss

Despite the 3-2 scoreline in India's favour, Santner struck a measured, forward-looking tone. 'In terms of a cricketing point of view, there's a lot of good stuff. The batting was really good, and then the bowling — guys adapted brilliantly last couple of games. Obviously the scoreline shows 3-2 to India, but could have been the other way around,' he said.

With the T20 World Cup on the horizon, New Zealand will look to build on the competitive spirit and tactical lessons drawn from this hard-fought series against one of the world's top-ranked T20 sides.