India vs New Zealand, 3rd T20I: 5 reasons why India won the match

For a long time, it seemed as if the India-New Zeland T20 series would meet the same fate as the India-Australia T20 series with rain playing spoilsport.

The toss got delayed and even when the rain subsided, it seemed as if the match could be in jeopardy, but unlike the Hyderabad game, which failed to get the match underway despite ample time to recover, Trivandrum was fully equipped to deal with the rain threat and the ground authorities managed to get the surface ready for a curtailed T20 match.

The stadium was a sell-out and despite the rain, the fans waited patiently for what was the first international fixture in the city, and they got their money worth in the end as the hosts gave them a fitting reward with a victory on a day to remember for the cricket enthusiastic state.

Here are 5 reasons how India managed to overcome the Black Caps in the series decider here on Tuesday.

# Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance

Bumrah continues to amaze with his wizardry with the ball

Jasprit Bumrah - The young man that continues to amaze the cricket enthusiasts every time he steps onto the field managed to outdo himself yet again as he outwitted the opposition batsmen with his brilliant bowling.

Having a smart bowler such as Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the other end obviously helps, but the way the youngster has managed to consistently deliver at the big stage deserves credit.

He conceded only two runs in his first over and also accounted for the dangerous Colin Munro while he came back, later on, conceding just seven runs in his second and final over, picking up yet another wicket.

It's hard to imagine that Bumrah is still only 23 and Indian cricket fans will be hoping that he keeps that sharp cricketing brain of his ticking always.

# Yuzvendra Chahal's miserly overs

From RCB to the Indian national side - Chahal is enjoying playing under Kohli

Spinners always find it hard in the limited overs formats but unlike the 50-over version, the T20 game sees the slower bowlers exert a greater influence in the scheme of things.

They are a much bigger wicket-taking threat in the T20 format and Yuzvendra Chahal has time and again showed that he is not afraid to flight the ball up to entice batsmen into making mistakes that cost them, dear.

Playing under Virat Kohli's captaincy for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL has certainly helped the Indian skipper get a good understanding of how to use the wily leg-spinner well and the 27-year-old was brilliant today, bowling two tight overs.

He might not have picked up any wickets but conceding just 8 runs off his two overs proved a big difference in the end.

# Virat Kohli's captaincy

Kohli executed his plans brilliantly and looked pumped up for the battle

Virat Kohli being an aggressive player and skipper is a well-known fact and that was on full show here in the series decider as he tried first to take on the New Zealand bowling line-up with his bat, but couldn't do much damage.

However, he made up for it with his captaincy on the field by inspiring his side to a spirited display with the ball despite having a below-par total on the board. He looked pumped up on the field and managed to pass it on to his teammates as well and the good start with the ball obviously helped.

Kohli was smart with his bowling changes as well on the day, especially the manner in which he used his two trump bowlers - Yuzvendra Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah.

There might have been a tendency to keep Bumrah right off until the end but handing the penultimate over to the youngster proved a masterstroke in piling on the pressure on the New Zealand batsman.

# India's brilliant fielding display

Dhoni - Lightning quick as always behind the stumps

After a below-par batting display, it was vital that the bowlers stepped up their performances if India were hopeful of clinching victory in the series decider.

Even then, fielders letting the bowlers down would have been an even bigger crime, but much to the delight of the home crowd, the Indian fielders were right on the money today starting with Rohit Sharma's brilliant catch to dismiss the dangerous Colin Munro.

The way the catch pumped up the Indian skipper Virat Kohli was there for all to see and it seemed to trickle down to the other players as they held on to the chances that came their way, including the two run out chances.

# Recovering from the early blows

Manish Pandey's innings was nothing spectacular but a much-needed one for India

In a shortened match such as the one at Trivandrum today, it was vital that India won the toss to gain a stranglehold on the match, but unfortunately for the home crowd, lady luck deserted Virat Kohli and New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson had no hesitation in choosing to field first.

The chasing team invariably holds an advantage in a T20 contest and that multiplies manifold when the overs get reduced. Batting to chase down a target becomes so much easier when you need to bat for fewer overs while still having all those 10 wickets in hand.

Well begun is half done would have been the motto for India no doubt, but it was anything but that as the Indian openers fell to Tim Southee off successive deliveries in the third over of the Indian innings.

There might have been a danger of the Indian batting falling apart after that but Kohli, Manish Pandey, and Hardik Pandya ensured that India got a respectable total on the board.