‘It was a series for bowlers’: Shreyas Iyer reacts after India’s 3-1 ODI series win vs New Zealand

India stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer has shared his thoughts on the team's batting performance after their 3-1 ODI series win against New Zealand. He said the pitches in the series were better for bowlers, making it difficult for batters to score runs. Iyer also said there is no need to worry about India's batting ahead of the 2027 World Cup, as the conditions in South Africa will be different.

India beat New Zealand by 22 runs in the fifth and final ODI on Sunday, November 15, to win the series. Batting first, India managed to score only 209 runs in 42.1 overs, but their bowlers defended the total and bowled New Zealand out for 187. It was another low-scoring match in a series where the bowlers had the upper hand.

After the match, Iyer was asked about India's batting struggles, as Virat Kohli was the only Indian batter to score a half-century during the series. The stand-in captain said the team had to deal with tough batting conditions throughout the five matches. He also made it clear that the team's main aim was to win the series, and he was happy with the result.

What did Shreyas Iyer say? “It was a series for bowlers, not for batters” after India’s 3-1 win

Speaking at the press conference after the match, Shreyas Iyer said the pitches in the series made life difficult for batters. He felt that the players should not be blamed for their scores because the bowlers had more help from the conditions. The Shreyas Iyer series for bowlers comment came after India won the series despite struggling with the bat.

"It was a series for bowlers, not for batters. Everyone stood up to the occasion… I enjoyed leading in ODI, challenging, exhausting… There was a period where the game went slow… that's how you gauge the pace. Exciting. One win, one loss, 50-50," Iyer said. He also spoke about how the team handled the pressure during the final ODI. Iyer said he trusted his fast bowlers to stick to their plans and bowl in partnerships.

"We wanted to give everything, and there was no major discussion at the halfway mark. I stuck with the plan of seamers, and wickets kept coming. When bowlers bowled in partnerships, you bowl tight from one end and pick wickets from the other," he added. Iyer also said India should not worry about their batting ahead of the 2027 World Cup just yet. He believes the conditions in South Africa will be different, giving the team a different challenge during the tournament.

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India vs New Zealand ODI series: 22-run win gives India the series 3-1

India posted 209 runs in the fifth ODI after batting first at the venue. Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan scored 46 runs each, while Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh added 26 runs from just 10 balls for the final wicket. Their late runs helped India cross the 200-run mark after losing wickets regularly.

New Zealand started their chase well but soon lost wickets at regular intervals. They went from 64/1 to 119/6, giving India a strong chance of winning the match. Mitchell Santner tried to keep the chase alive, but Axar Patel picked up two wickets as New Zealand were bowled out for 187 in 48.1 overs.

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Iyer also made good use of his bowlers, relying on fast bowlers for the first 35 overs before bringing Axar into the attack. Arshdeep Singh picked up three wickets, while Gurnoor Brar finished the series with nine wickets in three matches and won the Player of the Series award. The India vs New Zealand ODI series 3-1 result gave India a winning finish, with the team now set to face New Zealand in the Test series starting on November 19.