Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui has been a productive venue for Rohit Sharma in ODI cricket. The India opener has appeared in two one-day internationals at the ground, both during India's tour of New Zealand in 2019, and he accumulated 149 runs across those two innings at an average of 74.50.

Rohit's two knocks at Bay Oval came off a combined 173 balls, giving him a strike rate of 86.12 across the two matches. His scores of 87 and 62 made him a consistent performer at the venue, and his 87 remains his highest individual ODI score in New Zealand.

India are now set to return to Bay Oval for the fourth match of the current five-match ODI series against New Zealand. The third ODI in Hamilton was abandoned without a ball being bowled, leaving India leading the series 2-0 after winning the first two games, one of those by five wickets under DLS and the other by four runs. With Shubman Gill absent, Shreyas Iyer is captaining the side, and Rohit is expected to open alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad in the fourth ODI. In this series, Rohit has managed just scores of 0 and 23 so far.

What did Rohit Sharma do in his first ODI at Bay Oval?

On January 26, 2019, Rohit walked out to bat at Bay Oval and struck 87 runs in what proved to be a match-winning contribution. He shared a 154-run opening partnership with Shikhar Dhawan, who contributed 66 to that stand. India posted 324 for 4 in their allotted overs, a total that proved more than sufficient as they went on to win the match by 90 runs. Rohit was named Player of the Match for his innings, which came off 96 balls.

The victory was a commanding one for India, and Rohit's knock set the platform from which the rest of the batting order could build. The 154-run opening stand between Rohit and Dhawan was the foundation of India's imposing total at the Bay Oval ground.

How did Rohit perform in his second ODI at Bay Oval?

Two days later, on January 28, 2019, Rohit returned to Bay Oval for the third ODI of that series. He scored 62 off 76 balls as India successfully chased down their target, winning by seven wickets. The knock was another measured contribution from the opener, helping India complete a comfortable chase at the same venue.

Across his broader ODI record in New Zealand, Rohit has accumulated 437 runs in 13 innings, averaging 36.41. He has struck four fifties in the country but is yet to register a century on New Zealand soil. His 87 at Bay Oval on January 26, 2019 remains the highest score he has managed in ODIs in New Zealand.