India’s poor starts cost ODI series, youngsters must learn Kohli’s mindset: Gavaskar

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has pointed to India’s repeated failure to get solid starts as the key reason behind their ODI series loss to New Zealand , urging young batters to study and emulate Virat Kohli’s approach to chasing big targets.

India suffered a 41 run defeat in the third and final ODI in Indore, sealing their first ever 50 over home series loss to New Zealand. Chasing a stiff target of 338, India once again found themselves on the back foot early, despite Kohli’s valiant 124 off 108 balls . The senior batter stood tall, but a lack of meaningful partnerships around him proved costly.

Speaking on Amul Cricket Live on JioStar, Gavaskar said India never managed to set the foundation required for successful chases throughout the series. He stressed that losing early wickets made the task nearly impossible against a disciplined New Zealand attack.

India were reduced to 159 for five around the halfway stage of the chase, a phase Sunil Gavaskar described as the decisive turning point. The fall of KL Rahul’s wicket meant the responsibility suddenly shifted to relatively inexperienced batters, leaving India short of proven finishers. From that position, the asking rate and pressure increased sharply, making what had looked like a manageable chase far more demanding.

Gavaskar reserved special praise for Virat Kohli’s temperament and clarity of thought , calling it the biggest lesson for India’s younger generation. He noted that Kohli is not restricted by expectations or preconceived notions about how he should bat. Instead, he adapts entirely to the situation, sometimes starting cautiously and at other times taking the aggressive route when required.

According to Gavaskar, Kohli’s refusal to play to an image and his determination to fight till the very end set him apart. He said youngsters would gain far more consistency if they focused on match situations rather than external expectations.

The former captain also commended Harshit Rana for his lower order half century, which briefly revived India’s hopes of an unlikely win. Gavaskar was impressed by Rana’s ability to stay mentally strong and bat without fear, despite earlier failures and the pressure of sharing the crease with Kohli.

Gavaskar concluded that while individual performances stood out, including Nithish Reddy’s helpful lower order innings that briefly kept India in the contest, the team’s inability to begin well with the bat remained the defining flaw of the series. He noted that such efforts offered resistance but could not compensate for repeated top order failures that left the middle and lower order under sustained pressure.