Abhishek scored an explosive 68 off just 20 balls, including a remarkable 14-ball half-century, helping the Men in Blue clinch a 3-0 lead and secure the series in their favor.
New Zealand has often felt the impact of Abhishek’s recent form, as the left-hander has helped offset the struggles of his opening partner, Sanju Samson.
“Honestly, their batting has been both dynamic and explosive,” Chapman mentioned during the post-match media interaction.
“I haven’t had much chance to watch him play live, but his ability to hit sixes is unparalleled. He appears to put a lot of thought into his batting approach.
“He’s clearly playing exceptional cricket right now. That’s the nature of T20; when someone’s in great form, they can be pretty tough to handle at times.
“There’s a lot for us to analyze and learn from. We have room for improvement in all three areas,” Chapman added.
Despite the series loss, Chapman regarded the experience against India as valuable preparation for the upcoming global tournament, as New Zealand seeks to refine their game ahead of their World Cup opener against Afghanistan in Chennai on February 8.
“We need to aim for larger scores. The pitches have been quite good, but we understand that not every pitch in India will be perfect. There will be moments when the ball turns, so we must be prepared for anything.
“From our perspective, facing one of the best T20 teams in the world is unparalleled preparation for a World Cup. Observing their approach is valuable, and hopefully, we can take away a lesson or two from them.”
(With PTI inputs)
First Published: Jan 26, 2026 5:00 PM IST
