Harbhajan Singh was effusive in his appreciation for Virat Kohli after the talismanic batsman hit a fighting century in the crucial third one-day international against New Zealand. However, his stunning 124-run knock off 108 deliveries was in futile, as the Kiwis dashed India’s chances of a series triumph.
Apart from Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who both scored fifty in their first ODIs on Sunday, January 18, Harbhajan believes no other player can help Kohli.
The former India spinner also stated that India did not get off to a good start, which is critical for a team chasing a goal as high as 338.
Despite Kohli’s brave innings, the Men in Blue were bowled for 296, losing their first ODI series to New Zealand. The Black Caps won the match by 41 runs, making history.
“Virat Kohli scored a brilliant 124, and along with him, Reddy contributed 53 and Rana also made 52. I think if Reddy’s innings had lasted a little longer, the chase might have been possible. But the way I see it, the start that was needed didn’t happen; wickets fell early. Kohli stayed at the crease, but no one supported him. I feel the chase could have been possible but when you are chasing 337, getting a solid start becomes very important, which the Indian team didn’t get,” Harbhajan said in a video posted on his YouTube channel.
“As a result, they were constantly playing a catch-up game. Wickets kept falling, and they were always behind. At 150, five wickets were down, and still, there was batting left, Jadeja and Harshit batted reasonably well, and Kohli was there. A chase was possible, but New Zealand also bowled very well, and their fielders were excellent. Anyway, New Zealand had lost the first match, but despite that, they went on to win the series. This is a huge achievement for them. Team India has a lot to learn from this. I hope they will learn from it and move forward,” he added.
Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips earn praise from Harbhajan after match-winning tons in Indore
Harbhajan didn’t forget to acknowledge Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips, two players who scored belligerent centuries in the third ODI at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. Mitchell won the Player of the Series award after finishing as the highest run-getter.
“Credit to Mitchell, he is a very good player. He plays spin really well, is a complete player, and rotates the strike efficiently with singles and doubles. When he goes for a big hit, he hits it really well. And then there’s Glenn Phillips. We’ve seen that he doesn’t just fly around to take catches, he also smashes the ball with his bat. He played a very explosive innings, scoring 106 off 88 balls. I think that innings was crucial. Look at this, New Zealand did all this without Williamson and Trent Boult, their two main players, yet they still won,” Harbhajan said.
![[WATCH] IND vs NZ 2026: Virat Kohli gifts signed jersey to Daryl Mitchell after third ODI](https://cricketmood.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Kohli-Mitchell.jpg "[WATCH] IND vs NZ 2026: Virat Kohli gifts signed jersey to Daryl Mitchell after third ODI 5")
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