Ross Taylor scored his 21st ODI century, and coupled with fifties from Henry Nicholls and Tom Latham, helped New Zealand overhaul India’s massive 347/4 to win the opening match of the ODI series in Hamilton on Wednesday. After thrice coming close to getting New Zealand over the line inT20Is, Taylor unleashed a relentless assault on arguably the best bowling attack in the world, and orchestrated New Zealand’s highest successful run-chase in ODIs.

Shreyas Iyer’s maiden ODI ton was the biggest takeaway of the Indian innings, which also saw half-centuries from KL Rahul and Virat Kohli.But as special as they were, Taylor came up with an equally scintillating knock, trumping Iyer’s career-best effort. Dropped on 12, Taylor cashed in onthe opportunity on a wonderful batting deck and ensured this time, he saw New Zealand through.

The platform for the Taylor special was laid out by MartinGuptill and Nicholls’ opening stand of 85 inside 16 overs. Shardul Thakursnuffing out Guptill remained the only bright spot of his otherwise forgettableouting – he gave 80 from nine overs. The same could be said for Kuldeep Yadav,who, after having Tom Blundell stumped cheaply, took a hammering and bled 84.India had to wait nine overs to get their third wicket, but by the time itarrived, Taylor and Latham had already put the match beyond conclusion.

It would take a brave mind to recollect the last timeIndia’s bowlers received such a pasting. Sloppy ground-fielding and untimelyno-balls didn’t help their cause either. New Zealand grabbed many big overs inbetween – the 25th bowled by Kuldeep was taken for 15, which eased the pressurecreated by Ravindra Jadeja. India had a sniff when a remarkable direct hit fromKohli saw the back of Nicholls, but for the first time in their tour, India hadno answer to contain Taylor.

Taylor stitched two crucial partnerships – 62 with Nicholls,followed by a 138-run alliance with skipper Latham, which quite possibly provedto be a match-winning one. In fact, it was Latham’s reverse sweeps that openedthe floodgates for both batsmen to capitalise – his 49-ball knock includedeight boundaries and two sixes, while Taylor brought out his leg side game andused to full effect. His strokes on the offside was equally breathtaking,taking Thakur for 20 runs – before completing his century.

For a brief moment, it seemed likely as if the ghosts of theT20Is would strike New Zealand. With the wicket of Latham, New Zealand appearedto have choked again, albeit briefly when India sent back James Neesham andColin de Grandhomme in a space of four balls. But with 13 needed off 17,Santner pulled Thakur over the ropes to ease nerves. In the end, Taylor scoredthe winning runs to snap their horror run.

Iyer’s century, couple by half-centuries from Kohli andRahul, allowed India to stitch century partnerships for the third and fourthwickets after debutants Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal threw away promisingstarts.

Shaw and Agarwal, who started their Test careers in blazingfashion, had a chance to replicate the same in ODIs. After watchfully playingout the first three overs, boundaries began to flow with India’s newest openingpair bringing up the team fifty in the seventh over. But their back-to-backdismissals got New Zealand right back in it. Hamish Bennett went for 26 in histhree overs, and Colin de Grandhomme, replacing him, had Shaw poking outsideoff and nicking the ball to Tom Latham.

Five balls later, Mayank Agarwal lashed Tim Southee to TomBlundell at point for the bowler to be rewarded for a wonderful first spell.Virat Kohli, who last scored an ODI hundred in August last year, put India backon track with a partnership of substance with Iyer – 102 runs – with thecaptain rotating strike. Kohli scored six crisp boundaries en route to ahalf-century before failing to read a googly from Ish Sodhi and getting bowled.

Iyer, initially scratchy, led a charmed life. He was droppedtwice in a span of four balls – Ross Taylor grassing a tough, diving chance atgully, and Southee getting his fingertips to an aerial shot next over. In thecompany of Rahul, Iyer found his confidence before both batsmen unleashed aflurry if boundaries. With Kohli perishing, Iyer brought up his seventhhalf-century before laying it into New Zealand’s bowlers.

Rahul’s extended his unforgettable New Zealand tour with anentertaining fifty. His back-to-back sixes off Ish Sodhi got India one short of200 in the 35th over, with the next 50 runs taking 29 balls. With 10 overs leftand India, having already crossed 250, opened the floodgates. Iyer was droppeda third time, de Grandhomme putting down a dolly running in from long-off,before scoring his 100th run. With the partnership reaching 136, he slapped Southeeto Santner at deep cover.

Rahul and Jadhav sustained the momentum bringing up India’s300 in the 44th over, setting laying the platform for one final lift. KedarJadhav announced himself with a 20-run over off Southee – three fours and asix. Scoring at 200, he and Rahul combined to score 50 off 25 balls as Indiawalloped 56 in the final five. That New Zealand gave away 19 wides didn’t helpeither, but India were even poorer on that ground, conceding 24 runs erring inline.