New Zealand ended India’s five-match T20I series on a winning note after securing a convincing seven-wicket victory in the fifth encounter at Hamilton on November 1, 2026. Chasing India’s total of 191/8, the hosts reached 195/3 in just 18 overs. However, India had already sealed the series 3-1, making the final match a dead rubber. Adam Milne was named Player of the Match for his impressive bowling performance. Former India batter Hanuma Vihari analysed India’s defeat and highlighted how the toss and prevailing conditions played an important role in determining the outcome. He believed New Zealand benefited from bowling first, as the surface offered early movement and the conditions favoured the fast bowlers.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Hanuma Vihari explained that Abhishek Sharma struggled to adjust to the initial movement before getting dismissed while attempting an aggressive shot.

“I think India losing the toss made a difference. The ball was moving off the pitch initially. Abhishek was early into the shot. He was hasty and it hit the bottom of his bat,” Hanuma Vihari said. He also questioned Sanju Samson’s approach against the new ball, pointing out that the wicketkeeper-batter should have allowed the deliveries to move rather than attempting an aggressive cross-batted shot. “At Hamilton, the breeze also helped, and Adam Milne made use of that initial swing. Samson also stays deep in the crease and lets the ball swing. He should not have tried to play across the line,” he added.

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Vihari also discussed Varun Chakaravarthy’s performance after the spinner replaced Axar Patel in India’s playing XI. Although Chakaravarthy started his spell reasonably well, Glenn Phillips managed to put him under pressure during the middle overs.

The former batter felt that Chakaravarthy became predictable because he continued bowling at a similar pace, while the lack of assistance from the surface made his task more difficult. “It was a rare failure for Abhishek. Sanju was inconsistent in this series. Again, there were some failures. They played Varun in place of Axar. He was okay in the first two overs, but Phillips targeted him. He was bowling at the same pace, and when there is no turn off the surface, he gets slightly exposed,” Hanuma Vihari said.

Despite the disappointing result in Hamilton, Vihari identified several positives from India’s overall series performance. He praised Abhishek Sharma, Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma for their contributions, particularly highlighting Tilak’s ability to perform under pressure.

He also acknowledged the efforts of Naman Dhir and Nitish Kumar Reddy, while pointing out that the bowling unit had shown encouraging signs through Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav and Arshdeep Singh.

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“What are the positives for India? I think Abhishek was one. Shreyas Iyer the batter. Tilak was outstanding under pressure. Nitish had an average series, not an excellent one, but he was decent,” Hanuma Vihari said. “Naman Dhir was good. In bowling, I thought Prince was decent. Mayank was decent. Arshdeep did well in bits and pieces. Vaibhav also got a 40 in one match. Vaibhav is getting there. In the chances he gets, he is doing well. There is no harm in waiting,” he added.

Vihari’s assessment suggests that despite finishing the series with a defeat, India gained valuable experience and discovered encouraging options for the future.