![Nathan Astle and Daryl Mitchell are at the top [Source: Kiwiscricketfan, BLACKCAPS/X.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1768736173375_NathanAstleDarylMitchell.jpg?type=hq)
Nathan Astle and Daryl Mitchell are at the top [Source: Kiwiscricketfan, BLACKCAPS/X.com]
New Zealand number 4 batter Daryl Mitchell continued his supreme form in ODI cricket in the third ODI against India at the Holkar Stadium, Indore, as the teams faced each other in a series decider. Coming in to bat in a difficult situation, he piled up his second successive century of the series, pulling his team back in the match.
With the two centuries in this series to go with the previous two against the Men in Blue, Mitchell climbed up the list of New Zealand batters with the most three-figure marks against India, approaching Nathan Astle's record. Below is the list of the top five NZ batters with the most centuries against India.
Most hundreds for NZ vs IND in ODIs
5. Martin Crowe - 2 centuries
Between 1985 and 1995, the former Blackcaps skipper Martin Crowe went head-on against India in 17 innings and scored 596 runs at an average of 37.25. He scored his first of his two centuries against India in 1st ODI in 1990 at Dunedin, when the hosts got 246 runs in the first innings, including his player of the match winning 104(135) with 6 fours and a six.
His second ton came in 1995 at Jamshedpur, as the Kiwis chased down 236 runs by 8 wickets. He got 107*(129), with 9 fours and 2 sixes.
4. Ross Taylor - 3 centuries
In his 236-match ODI career, Ross Taylor loved facing India, as he piled up 1385 runs against them in 34 innings at an average of 47.75 and striking at 84.76. He scored 3 hundreds and 8 fifties against the opponents, with the first two coming in consecutive matches in Hamilton and Wellington, respectively, in 2014. He scored 112*(127) in a successful 279 run chase and backed it up by 102 (106) in the next ODI, while batting first and putting 303/5, as they won the series 4-0.
His third and final century against the touring India came in 2020, during the high-scoring first match of the series in Hamilton. Chasing India's 347/4, he scored a quick 109*(84), and they won by 4 wickets.
3. Chris Cairns - 3 centuries
Similar to Taylor, another legendary NZ cricketer, Chris Cairns, has scored three hundreds against India, while facing them in 28 innings and has scored 838 runs. First of his three tons came in Pune, 1995, when New Zealand batted first and he rescued them from 75/4 to 235/6 with 103 (87) with 10 fours and four sixes; however, India won that ODI by 5 wickets.
He then helped NZ win the fifth ODI of India's tour of New Zealand in 1999 at Christchurch, with his 115 (80) with 7 fours and 7 sixes to take them to 300/8 in the first innings. The third and final ton against the opposition came in Nairobi in the ICC KnockOut tournament in October 2000, as NZ chased 265 in a final over win against Sourav Ganguly's India.
2. Daryl Mitchell - 4 centuries
The modern-day ODI run-machine for New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell, who averages over 58 in ODIs, loves batting against India and has scored 751 runs in 11 innings against them, averaging 74.1, with four centuries — all of them coming away in India. The first two were scored in their encounters in the World Cup 2023, when his team unfortunately lost both matches.
The first of the aforementioned two was 130(127) with 9 fours and 5 sixes, when NZ got 273, and the other one was in a run-chase during the semi-final at Wankhede, when his team looked in cruise control in his 181 (149) stand with Kane Williamson. Mitchell got 134 (119) on the evening.
His next two tons vs the Men in Blue came in their tour of India, 2026 — the 131*(117) in Rajkot helped them chase 285 by 7 wickets, and the next 137(131) came in Indore to set up a target of 338 runs after coming in at 5/2 (1.1).
1. Nathan Astle - 5 centuries
During his 12-year international career, Nathan Astle averaged 34.92 in 223 matches, whereas when he took on India, his levels went a notch up and got it to 43.1 in 29 innings, scoring 5 hundreds and 5 fifties. The first came in Nagpur in the fifth ODI of their tour to India in 1995, when he got 114(128) to get 348 runs in the first innings and won NZ the match by 99 runs.
The next hundred was again in the winning cause when they travelled to India in 1995 and played 1st ODI in Rajkot. He got 120(136) and helped the team to 349 runs in their 43-run win. Two of his next three hundreds came in Colombo (RPS) and (SSC), respectively, in the 2001 Coca-Cola Cup, as he scored 117(150) in a win, followed by 108(143) in a loss.
His final three-figure mark against the opposition was in his last face-off against them in Harare, during the final of the tri-series between the two teams and Zimbabwe. His 115*(131) helped the Kiwis chase 277 runs comfortably by 6 wickets.
