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Even though New Zealand dominated their first warm-up game at The Oval, Virat Kohli focused on the positive way India recovered from a collapse to 39 for 4. In the absence of Jadhav and Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja became the standout player, netting 54 runs from 50 deliveries to push the team's total to 179.
India managed to bat through 40 overs thanks to a 62-run stand between Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav for the eighth wicket—a feat that looked improbable after Trent Boult tore through the top order. Hardik Pandya offered a glimpse of hope with a fast 30, but the innings struggled to maintain pace until Jadeja took charge of the lower order.
During the post-match presentation, Kohli called the lower-order performance 'very good.' He explained that for a World Cup, preparing for a potential top-order failure is essential, and the lower order must be ready to step up. He specifically praised Hardik Pandya's batting, MS Dhoni's composure under pressure, and Jadeja's scoring, concluding that these elements provided significant value from the game.
Kohli noted that the pitch became less favorable for bowlers during the second half of the match, as a 100-run partnership between Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson took the wind out of India's sails. New Zealand cruised to victory with six wickets remaining and almost 13 overs left on the clock.