During the 1st ODI against New Zealand today (January 11, 2026), a breathtaking moment occurred in the 8th over that left Indian superstar Virat Kohli, and the entire Vadodara crowd, in absolute shock.
Virat Kohli left stunned as Glenn Phillips nearly pulls off an impossible catch to dismiss Shubman Gill
Facing Zakary Foulkes, Shubman Gill slashed a back-of-a-length delivery hard toward backward point, timing it so sweetly that it looked like a certain boundary. Glenn Phillips, widely regarded as the best fielder in world cricket, produced a ‘superman’ effort by launching himself horizontally to his left, appearing to hang in the air for an eternity.
Phillips managed to get a full hand to the ball while completely airborne, nearly plucking what would have been the catch of the decade. Virat Kohli, sitting in the dressing room, was seen with his hands on his head, his jaw dropped in utter disbelief at the sheer athleticism on display. Although the ball didn’t ultimately stick as Phillips hit the turf, the sheer audacity of the attempt forced Kohli to take a moment to process what he had just witnessed.
It was a heart-in-mouth moment for the Indian captain, who wore a sheepish smile afterward, knowing he had survived a piece of magic. The stadium, which had gone silent in anticipation of a wicket, erupted in applause not just for Gill’s survival, but for Phillips’ incredible gravity-defying feat. Commentators immediately drew comparisons to Jonty Rhodes, noting that Phillips is perhaps the only fielder today who could even get a finger to such a ball. Kohli continued to shake, still clearly reeling from how close New Zealand came to a miraculous breakthrough. This ‘near-miss’ has already become the viral highlight of the match, perfectly capturing the intensity of this opening ODI.
Here’s the video:
— Blablabla (@Bhaukal_ba1) January 11, 2026
Glenn Phillips is insane honestly pic.twitter.com/Yh0PoKhuxd
— Aarav (@xxxAarav) January 11, 2026
Also WATCH: IND vs NZ: Shreyas Iyer sends Michael Bracewell packing with a rocket throw during Vadodara ODI
Daryl Mitchell’s counter-attack and Kohli’s milestone charge define Vadodara ODI
The 1st ODI between India and New Zealand at Vadodara has lived up to its billing, with New Zealand setting a challenging target of 301 after a roller-coaster first innings. Winning the toss and opting to bowl, India initially struggled to find an answer to the clinical opening pair of Devon Conway (56) and Henry Nicholls (62), who forged a dominant 117-run partnership.
The momentum shifted when young pacer Harshit Rana produced a double-strike to remove both set openers, followed by a middle-order squeeze led by Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj. New Zealand appeared to be stuttering at 237/6, but Daryl Mitchell played a magnificent, counter-attacking knock of 84 off 71 balls, laced with three massive sixes, to drag his side back into the game. A late cameo from debutant Kristian Clarke ensured the Kiwis reached exactly 300/8, marking a historic first innings at the new Kotambi Stadium.
In response, India lost Rohit Sharma for 26 after he smashed a world-record 650th international six, falling to Kyle Jamieson. This brought Kohli to the crease, who immediately injected high energy into the chase, racing to 26* off 19 balls with a flurry of exquisite drives and pulls. As the game stands, the partnership between Gill and Kohli is blossoming, with Kohli needing just a few more runs to reach the monumental landmark of 28,000 international runs. The atmosphere in Vadodara is electric, as fans anticipate a classic Kohli chase on the day of his daughter Vamika’s 5th birthday.
Also WATCH: IND vs NZ: Prasidh Krishna cleans up Mitchell Hay with a jaffa in the first ODI
For latest cricket news & updates, visit CricketTimes.com.
