New Zealand great feels that Kishan's shots were amazing, and he missed a well-deserved hundred.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIshan played beautifully. He could have gotten a big hundred. We know his prowess, scoring a double hundred in ODIs. He\u2019s got such power, and he does it so quickly,\u201d Doull told Jio Star.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Highlighting the impact of Kishan\u2019s counterattacking innings after India lost early wickets, Doull felt the aggressive approach put New Zealand under immediate pressure and allowed captain Suryakumar Yadav time to settle at the crease.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWhen Abhishek obviously didn\u2019t get them off to a good start, what Ishan did from two for six was to put New Zealand under pressure. He took the game away and allowed Surya to settle in. At one stage, Suryakumar was 11 off 11 balls. The way Ishan played allowed him to settle,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Doull also praised specific shots that stood out during Kishan\u2019s 73-run innings. \u201cThere were a couple of shots that stood out. The one off Ish Sodhi, when he went down the wicket and then pulled the ball over mid-wicket, was a phenomenal shot,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSo I thought he was simply superb. He\u2019s got shots all around the ground,\u201d Doull said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Turning his attention to India\u2019s overall batting strength, Doull underlined the depth and power available throughout the lineup, even without some of the side\u2019s most destructive hitters getting an opportunity to bat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf you take Abhishek away, who failed in the game, Rinku and Hardik, two of the most prolific six-hitters, didn\u2019t even get a go. So India are out-sixing with guys who don\u2019t usually; I mean, they do hit sixes, but your two real powerhouses didn\u2019t even get a bat. I thought India was simply brilliant,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Doull felt New Zealand missed a crucial opportunity early in the contest despite reducing India to two for six.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cNew Zealand had an opportunity early on, two for six, with both the openers gone, and they should have been better. I don\u2019t think Mitchell Santner had a great night from a captaincy point of view. New Zealand just didn\u2019t put enough on the board, and I\u2019m not even sure 280 would have been enough,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Assessing India\u2019s strength ahead of the ICC Men\u2019s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026, Doull said the current squad appears tailor-made for the shortest format.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a different-looking side to what we saw in the ODIs, to me. It\u2019s a side that just looks like they really know how to play this format of the game. They\u2019re enjoying it. There\u2019s a mix of experience and youth. There\u2019s all-out aggression,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Doull also praised India\u2019s relentless mindset, regardless of match situations, which has helped the team achieve massive success.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a different-looking side to what we saw in the ODIs, to me. It\u2019s a side that just looks like they really know how to play this format of the game. They\u2019re enjoying it. There\u2019s a mix of experience and youth. There\u2019s all-out aggression,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThey just look like a team that Surya has got in a great headspace at the moment. They\u2019re playing with confidence. They were laughing and joking as they came off the field, the pats on the back, the rubs on the head, those little things that come with a team in a very good frame of mind and knowing exactly what they have up their sleeves.\u201d Doull concluded.<\/p>\r\n\r\n