Virat Kohli returns to Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, for the fourth ODI against New Zealand on Friday, November 13. His record at the venue is modest by his standards: 112 runs in three innings at an average of 37.33. This analysis breaks down his numbers, best knock and recent form.
Virat Kohli's ODI Numbers at Bay Oval
Kohli has played three ODIs at Bay Oval, all against New Zealand. He has scored 112 runs from 131 balls, which gives a strike rate of 85.49.
The tally includes one half-century and a highest score of 60. He was not dismissed fewer than three times, so the average equals 112 divided by three innings.
Virat Kohli's ODI batting summary at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui| Matches | Runs | Balls Faced | Average | Strike Rate | Fifties | Highest Score |
|---|
| 3 | 112 | 131 | 37.33 | 85.49 | 1 | 60 |
How the Venue Compares With Other New Zealand Grounds
Bay Oval has not been among Kohli's most productive ODI venues. His average of 37.33 is the second-lowest at a New Zealand ground, behind only Eden Park, Auckland.
That sits below the output expected from a batter whose career ODI numbers are far stronger. The sample is small at three innings, so one substantial score would shift the average noticeably.
Innings-by-Innings Breakdown
Kohli's three innings at the ground came across two tours, in January 2019 and February 2020. The scores were 43, 60 and 9.
Kohli's individual ODI scores at Bay Oval| Series | Match | Score | Result for India |
|---|
| January 2019 | 2nd ODI | 43 | Won |
| January 2019 | 3rd ODI | 60 (74 balls) | Won by 7 wickets |
| February 2020 | 3rd ODI | 9 | Lost; New Zealand chased 297 |
India won both 2019 matches in which Kohli scored 43 and 60. The 2020 game went the other way, with Kohli dismissed for 9, caught by Kyle Jamieson off Hamish Bennett after one six.
The 2020 Tour in Context
The 2020 tour was a difficult one for Kohli with the bat. He finished with 75 runs across three ODIs at an average of 25.
The Bay Oval match saw New Zealand complete a successful chase of 297 to win the series.
Best Performance: 60 off 74 Balls in January 2019
Kohli's highest score at the venue came on January 28, 2019, in the third ODI. India were chasing 244, and Kohli batted at number three.
He joined Rohit Sharma during the powerplay and the pair added 113 runs for the second wicket. Kohli faced 74 balls for his 60, a strike rate of roughly 81.
India won by seven wickets with seven overs to spare. The result sealed the five-match series, and Kohli's partnership laid the base for the chase.
Best innings at Bay Oval| Date | Score | Balls | Target | Partnership | Outcome |
|---|
| January 28, 2019 | 60 | 74 | 244 | 113 for the 2nd wicket | India won by 7 wickets |
Current Series Form Heading Into the 4th ODI
Kohli opened the 2026 series with 74 off 51 balls in Auckland, a strike rate of about 145. In Wellington he made 7 despite looking comfortable at the crease.
The Hamilton fixture was washed out, so he has 81 runs from two innings in the series so far. With two matches left on the tour, the Bay Oval game is the next chance to add to that total.
Kohli in the current series against New Zealand| Venue | Score | Balls | Notes |
|---|
| Auckland | 74 | 51 | Strike rate of about 145 |
| Wellington | 7 | - | Short stay at the crease |
| Hamilton | - | - | Washed out |
What to Watch in the Fourth ODI
Another half-century would give Kohli two fifties at Bay Oval for the first time. A score of 60 or more would also lift his venue average above 40 from its current 37.33.
Based on his history at the ground, the key metrics are conversion of starts and strike rate against the new ball. His 85.49 strike rate here is the benchmark to beat.
Key Takeaways
Kohli's Bay Oval record is a small-sample, below-par one: three innings, 112 runs, one fifty. His best knock came in a chase, in a 113-run stand during the powerplay.
His form in the current series is split between a fast 74 and a low 7, which makes the fourth ODI a useful test of consistency.