WATCH: Rohit Sharma Flies Into Action! Split-Second Fielding Brilliance Sends Mitchell Packing

A moment of indecision from New Zealand proved costly as Rohit Sharma produced a superb piece of fielding to run out Daryl Mitchell during the first ODI against India at Eden Park in Auckland on Wednesday.

The former India captain reacted quickly after Glenn Phillips pushed the ball towards the leg side. Rohit gathered it cleanly and sent a precise underarm throw towards the wicketkeeper's end, where KL Rahul completed the dismissal before Mitchell could make it back.

The breakthrough added to India's strong start with the ball, with New Zealand losing wickets regularly in the series opener. Rohit's effort also followed an outstanding one-handed catch by Gurnoor Brar to remove Tom Latham earlier in the innings.

WATCH: Rohit Sharma's Quick Thinking Leads To Daryl Mitchell's Run-Out

The dismissal came during Axar Patel's over, when Phillips nudged the ball towards mid-wicket. Rohit, stationed in the area, moved towards it immediately as the two New Zealand batters considered taking a single.

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FLYING RUNOUT BY ROHIT SHARMA🥵😯😯 Fitnesss Level of 39 yrs old Veteran 💪 #NZvsIND #ODI #RohitSharma https://t.co/OwsqqATXXG

— 𝙉𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙤𝙣 🇮🇳 (@goatnapoleon) November 4, 2026

Phillips and Mitchell hesitated, leaving them caught between committing to the run and staying in their respective creases. Rohit made the most of that brief confusion, collecting the ball and releasing a quick throw without wasting time.

Rahul gathered the delivery behind the stumps and broke the wicket before Mitchell could get back. The decision was straightforward, with the New Zealand batter well short of his ground.

Mitchell departed for 28 off 41 balls, handing India an important wicket as they looked to keep the hosts under pressure.

Glenn Phillips' Run-Out Involvement Adds To Unwanted Record

The dismissal also extended an unusual trend involving Phillips. It was the 12th occasion on which he had been involved in a run-out in international cricket, with his batting partner dismissed in 11 of those instances.

For Mitchell, meanwhile, the dismissal marked the first run-out of his ODI career.

The wicket carried added significance for India given Mitchell's recent performances against them. The right-hander had registered four centuries and two half-centuries across his previous seven innings against India before being dismissed in Auckland.

New Zealand's Top Order Struggles As India Take Control

New Zealand's batting troubles continued as India made regular inroads into the home side's top order. The hosts lost their first five wickets before reaching 100, extending a difficult record in home matches over the past decade.

It was the ninth such instance in the last 10 years that New Zealand had lost their first five wickets for fewer than 100 runs on home soil. They had lost seven of their previous eight matches in which that situation occurred, with their only win coming against the Netherlands in 2022.

New Zealand were 117/7 after 29 overs in the first ODI, leaving India firmly in control of the innings.

India selected a bowling combination featuring four specialist fast bowlers, Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar and Arshdeep Singh, alongside all-rounders Naman Dhir and Axar Patel. The attack had made early inroads, while Rohit's contribution in the field provided another important moment in the contest.