IND vs NZ 2026: ‘Wake up and smell the coffee’ - Aakash Chopra hurt by India's 1-2 loss to underpowered BlackCaps

Former opening batter Aakash Chopra has warned the Indian team after the conclusion of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand. The hosts suffered a shocking series loss to the visitors despite fielding a full-strength squad.

India suffered a thumping defeat against the Kiwis in the third and final match of the series at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore, losing the series 2-1, despite winning the opening encounter. Chasing the target of 338, the Men in Blue fell short of the target by 41 runs, which also marked their first-ever loss in ODIs at the venue.

Reflecting on the series loss, Chopra noted that this home series defeat will and must hurt, stating that the New Zealand team was not even their full-strength squad, with many of their ODI regulars missing the tour, while the hosts had entered with their best combination, including the seniors and promising youngsters. 

"This loss is going to hurt and it must as well because New Zealand have done the double. They first came and defeated us in the Test series. Here they came with eight players who were touring India for the first time. Two were debutants - Kristian Clarke and Jayden Lennox. They would have won 3-0 had Harshit Rana not scored 29 runs and KL Rahul not won us the first game. Wake up and smell the coffee," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.

The renowned cricketer-turned-commentator further candidly admitted that many people, including him, had taken the visitors lightly before the series, and no one expected them to win. 

"This is not okay. You look for excuses for losses at times, maybe this and maybe that, but not like this, not against this team because it wasn't even a full team. No opposing team should be taken lightly and I will put my hand up and say that I did that, or else I should say I had assumed my team was very good," he added.

First-ever ODI series win for New Zealand in India 

After losing the first ODI, the visitors came back strongly and won the next two games, eventually clinching the three-match series 2-1. Daryl Mitchell had a memorable series with the bat, scoring a staggering 352 runs at an average of 176. He was named the Player of the Series. This also became a historical event for New Zealand, as they clinched their maiden ODI series win against India in India.