Eden Park in Auckland hosts the opening ODI between India and New Zealand on November 4, and one of the most closely watched individual contests will be between Virat Kohli and New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner. The left-arm spinner leads his side into the series having already captained New Zealand through the recently concluded T20I leg, which India won 3-2.

Kohli returns to the ODI setup after featuring in the West Indies series and brings a well-documented record against Santner into this three-match assignment. Across 17 innings in ODIs, Kohli has accumulated 181 runs against the New Zealand spinner at a batting average of 60.33, numbers that place him firmly among the more comfortable batters Santner has had to bowl at in the format.

How has Santner contained Kohli despite the strong average?

While Kohli's average of 60.33 from 17 innings tells one side of the story, Santner has managed to keep the scoring rate in check. Kohli's strike rate against the left-arm spinner in ODIs stands at 69.49, a figure noticeably lower than what he typically produces against pace or other spin options in the format. That restraint reflects Santner's ability to use flight, angle and variation to slow Kohli down even when he has not been able to dismiss him regularly.

Santner has dismissed Kohli three times in ODI cricket. That dismissal count of 3 across 17 innings underlines how difficult it has been for the spinner to end Kohli's innings, yet the economy of 4.17 he has maintained against the Indian batter shows he has extracted value from the contest by limiting boundaries and forcing dot balls. The combination of a low strike rate conceded and a modest economy rate makes Santner one of the more effective bowlers Kohli has faced in this format, even if the aggregate runs have gone in Kohli's favour.

What does Kohli's broader record against New Zealand suggest?

Beyond the specific Santner matchup, Kohli's overall numbers against New Zealand in ODIs provide useful context for the series ahead. Across 15 innings against the Kiwis in the format, he has averaged 52.38, a figure that confirms his consistent output against this opposition over the years.

That average of 52.38 across 15 innings against New Zealand, combined with the 60.33 he carries specifically against Santner, suggests Kohli enters the Eden Park contest in a position of statistical strength against both the bowler and the team. Santner, now wearing the captain's armband, will need to find a way to either dismiss Kohli earlier or tighten the economy further if New Zealand are to restrict India's middle-order anchor in the ODI series.