India’s fielding concerns surfaced early in the fourth ODI against New Zealand at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Friday, as opener Will Young survived two dropped catches off consecutive deliveries. Rohit Sharma and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan missed opportunities in the second over, giving the New Zealand batter an early reprieve.
The two chances came off the fifth and sixth deliveries bowled by Auqib Nabi. Young first edged a delivery outside off stump, but Rohit failed to hold on to the catch at first slip. Nabi was left frustrated when Kishan also missed an opportunity behind the stumps off the very next ball, allowing Young to escape again.
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer began his tenure as India’s ODI captain by winning the toss and choosing to bowl first. He replaced Shubman Gill, who has left the squad along with other players to join the Test team ahead of the opening match against New Zealand next Thursday.
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India’s impressive run at the toss has also continued. They have now won eight of the nine tosses across the ongoing T20I and ODI series, calling tails on every occasion.
Drop Sitter Rohit Sharma https://t.co/zOjVKiOpJF
— Imabbaz18 (@Alpha18mindset) November 13, 2026
First Rohit Sharma dropped shitter which is obvious looking at his fitness.
But Ishan Kishan how could you dropped this catch?
But look at Virat Kohli fitness. What a player he is https://t.co/cnXUfBXwQB— BackToLobby (@_backtolobby) November 13, 2026
The fourth ODI also saw a few changes to India’s playing XI. Ruturaj Gaikwad made his first appearance of the series, while Ishan Kishan took over wicketkeeping duties in place of KL Rahul. Kuldeep Yadav also returned to the bowling attack.
New Zealand made several adjustments to their combination, with injuries and players departing for Test preparations affecting their selection. Nick Kelly, Dean Foxcroft and Finn Allen strengthened the batting unit, while Kristian Clark and Matt Henry were included in the pace attack.
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India entered the fourth ODI with a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. A victory would put them in a strong position to become the first touring team in seven years to win an ODI series in New Zealand.
The weather forecast also offered some encouragement after rain disrupted the earlier fixtures. India won the opening ODI in Auckland by five wickets and the second in Wellington by four runs, with both matches affected by rain. The third ODI, scheduled in Wellington on Tuesday, was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
