A little over a fortnight back, India’s batters were filling their boots on excellent batting surfaces in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Apart from the fourth game in Auckland when they ended on 172 for nine in response to the hosts’ record 259 for seven, the batting group covered itself in glory.

Things, however, have taken a dramatic turn, for the worse, in the ODI series. India did make a strong start, racing to a revised target of 143 with five wickets in hand and 56 deliveries to spare in the opener in Auckland, but from the second half of their chase onwards, the batters have found the going extremely tough.