Kohli struck an unbeaten 74 from just 51 deliveries as India defeated New Zealand by five wickets in the opening ODI on November 4, 2026. His innings featured 13 boundaries and a six, with his 80th ODI half-century arriving in only 35 balls.
India captain Shubman Gill contributed 37 as the pair combined for a 113-run second-wicket stand, recovering from Rohit Sharma's early departure. India subsequently chased down the revised target of 143 in just over 22 overs.
Duffy, who eventually removed Kohli, praised his technical ability and versatility, highlighting how effectively he handled Eden Park's bounce and utilised its relatively short boundaries.
"Yeah, it was a bit annoying, wasn't it?" Duffy joked during the post-match press conference after India's comprehensive win.
"Small targets like that, if you get a guy to come out with that kind of intent to knock it off, it can break the chase pretty easily. And he's a pretty good guy to do it, quite impressive, wasn't he?"
The pair shared a dressing room at Royal Challengers Bengaluru during their 2026 IPL title-winning campaign, giving Duffy considerable insight into Kohli's capabilities in both training and competitive cricket. He suggested the experienced batter offered bowlers very few opportunities to exploit any weaknesses.
"He didn't struggle with the bounce. He got inside those hook shots, pull shots, and then he could whack you down the ground. No surprise, he's a good player. He's done it for a lot of years, and he did that to me in the nets a lot in Bangalore," Duffy said.
"Small grounds like that, he uses the pace really well, and then he can hit you over your head as well. So, there's not many holes in that man's game."
Arshdeep Singh took four wickets before Virat Kohli hit 74 as India beat New Zealand by five wickets in a rain-affected first of five ODIs that was played in Auckland on Wednesday.
New Zealand batter Devon Conway has been ruled out of the first ODI against India after he took a blow to the head after colliding with teammate Matt Henry during training.
Glenn Phillips struck a century while seamer Jacob Duffy took four wickets as New Zealand claimed a consolation victory in the T20I series against India in Auckland.
Steve Smith is expected to recover in time for Australia's opening Test against New Zealand in December after medical examinations ruled out significant damage to his neck.
