At Eden Park in Auckland on November 4, India defeated New Zealand by five wickets using the DLS method in their opening ODI of the series. The 25-year-old seamer Anshul Kamboj emerged as the standout performer with the ball, taking two wickets for 22 runs from 10 overs while maintaining an economy rate of 2.20. His disciplined bowling, which included two maiden overs, restricted New Zealand to 185 in 40.2 overs and earned him the Player of the Match award in only his second ODI appearance.

Irfan Pathan, the former India pacer, identified Kamboj as the match's biggest positive during his post-match analysis. Pathan highlighted the young bowler's steady improvement and noted that his movement remained exceptional throughout his spell, even during the closing stages when other bowlers struggled to do the same.

"The biggest positive for me from this match was Anshul Kamboj. His graph has been steadily improving, but throughout his spell, even when he was bowling towards the end, the ball was moving more than it was for the other bowlers. Kamboj's lengths were relentless. He was consistently bowling in the right areas, generating movement and also making use of the scrambled seam," Pathan was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

How did Kamboj's performance shape the match outcome?

Kamboj's two wickets were that of Mitchell Santner and Nathan Smith as New Zealand managed 185 in 40.2 overs. The performance earned Kamboj the Player of the Match award in only his second ODI appearance, following his disappointing debut performance against the West Indies on October 3. His economy rate of 2.20 and two maiden overs demonstrated exceptional control and discipline in building pressure on the opposition.

Pathan went on to emphasise Kamboj's broader skill set and potential beyond his current role in the side. The former India pacer noted that Kamboj has already demonstrated his ability to operate with the new ball during his performances for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. Pathan also highlighted the bowler's capacity to bowl from around the wicket and execute wide yorkers, along with his capacity to contribute lower down the batting order.

"He is a skilful bowler who can bowl with the new ball as well. We have seen him do that for Chennai. He also has the ability to come around the wicket and regularly bowl wide yorkers," Pathan said.

"He can also contribute with the bat lower down the order. So, I genuinely think he is heading in the right direction. I am really impressed with the way he bowled," he added.

India's successful chase was anchored by Virat Kohli, who scored 74 off 51 balls and guided the team to victory with 56 balls remaining. The win gave India a 1-0 lead in the five-match ODI series.