Rohit Sharma led from the front by scoring a fine 56 as India thumped New Zealand by 73 runs in the third and the final T20 international at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.
The hosts rested KL Rahul and Ravi Ashwin and brought in Ishan Kishan and Yuzvendra Chahal, while the visitors included Lockie Ferguson in place of Tim Southee.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Rohit Sharma along with Kishan got India off to a quickfire start. The duo added 69 runs for the opening stand before stand in skipper Mitchell Santner brought the Black Caps back into the contest by dismissing Ishan (29), Suryakumar Yadav (0) and Rishabh Pant (4) to reduce the hosts to 83/3.
Rohit after reached a well-deserved fifty, perished to a brilliant caught and bowled by Ish Sodhi. The likes of Shreyas Iyer (25), Venkatesh Iyer (20), Harshal Patel (18) and Deepak Chahar (21*) scored some handy runs down the order to propel India to 184/7 in their allotted 20 overs.
For New Zealand, Mitchell Santner was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/27.
Chasing 185, openers Martin Guptill and Daryl Mitchell got New Zealand off to a steady start. The pair added 21 runs for the first wicket before the latter mistimed a Axar Patel delivery to Harshal Patel at covers for 5.
Mark Chapman and Glenn Phillips failed to trouble the scorers, leaving New Zealand in a spot of bother at 30/3.
Guptill and Tim Seifert added 39 runs for the fourth wicket before Yuzvendra Chahal struck a vital blow by dismissing the former caught at long on by Suryakumar for a 36 ball 51.
Harshal Patel then got into the act by dismissing Jimmy Neesham (3) to a brilliant diving catch by Rishabh Pant.
Santner (2) fell to a magnificent direct hit by Ishan Kishan from deep midwicket.
Venkatesh Iyer turned his arm over for the first time in the series and claimed his maiden wicket by dismissing Adam Milne caught at covers by Rohit for 7.
Harshal Patel bagged his second wicket by dismissing Ish Sodhi (9) caught at long on by Yadav.
Lockie Ferguson after striking a couple of lusty blows was dismissed by Deepak Chahar, as the visitors were bundled out for 111 in 17.2 overs.
Axar Patel was declared the Man of the Match for his impressive figures of 3/9.
The focus now shifts to the tests where India will lock horns against Kane Williamson’s side, starting on November 25 in Kanpur.