New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner has said that dew will play a role throughout the series, especially with the start time pushed back by an hour. Santner pointed out that T20I matches in New Zealand that usually begin by 7 PM local time are now kicking off at 8 PM instead which makes batting a bit more easier for chasing sides. In both the games so far, India have opted to bowl first and are now leading the series 2-0.

"There was less dew tonight than there was the first game, I think, because the wind was up a little bit," Santner said after the tight loss. "But I think it's going to be a factor throughout the series. I guess with it being so late (8 PM start), we usually start at 7 o'clock. So by the second half, the ball seems to skid on a little bit better. It's definitely a factor, I think, at the toss both teams in both games were looking to bowl first. And I guess two chases, even though tonight was a tight chase, it's still two wins for the chasing team."

New Zealand were crippled during the chase, with Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson not completing their quota. Santner revealed that the pacers were sidelined by 'precautionary injuries' and the management wasn't keen on risking them ahead of the ODIs and Tests. "Matt (Henry) experienced like a tight calf. So we didn't want to risk it with I guess the amount of cricket we've got coming up as well. And I think Lockie (Ferguson) he went off as well. So just a couple of precautionary injuries. We'll see how they pull up I guess tomorrow morning. I think with the quick turnaround of the series going into the one day, and into the Test as well, we don't want to, I guess, risk too much. But hopefully they pull up fine because both good bowlers."

The New Zealand skipper had a terrific outing, finishing with figures of 4/21 before the trio of Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir and Nitish Reddy scripted a turnaround to clinch the contest for India. Santner reserved praise for the half-centurion alongside whom he has been playing in the IPL for Mumbai Indians. "I guess when he (Tilak) first started, he was batting three and it's a slightly different role," Santner observed. "So I guess the middle order role is very depending on how you operate in the middle and in the death phase. And I guess I've seen it for a couple of years now at Mumbai. He's very good.

"Same with Naman Dhir. I think the way he's come in and looks so free from the start. I think Tilak took his time a little bit today, but managed the chase very well with (Nitish) Reddy at the end. So I think if you can finish off games as a finisher, you're doing a pretty good job. I think it was a great knock from those last three, especially tonight."

Meanwhile, Indian allrounder Nitish revealed that one good over was all it took to get the chase back on track. After Naman Dhir's dismissal, the equation came down to 69 off 31 with only four wickets in hand. Nitish got going with an early boundary but the duo also placed a lot of emphasis on making use of the dimensions to keep the scorecard ticking, which took the game deep. "When I got the four, we were just talking like we have to believe that we're gonna get one strong good over and that's what you know T20 game is always about," Nitish said.

"One good over and the pressure situations can change to the bowler side. We would just keep believing in it and the kind of running between wickets we had, for the good balls also we had twos and then the bad balls we punished it for boundaries. I think that's where the game really changed, we have used the dimensions and we could see the bowlers they were under pressure and you know from nowhere we got got it to somewhere."

On his own injury struggles in recent times, Nitish termed the phase as 'part and parcel of the game'. "I am getting to understand it's just that I'm an all-rounder I have to bat and bowl. Even in the practice as well I have my workloads, I have more than anyone to do on the field and off the field. Nobody likes to get injured but it's just something which I'm working on and I'm happy that I'm playing for the Indian team and it's about each and every day. The next day if I turn up and play for my team that would be a great sign for me no matter where I play but I hope I don't get injured."