'I am a different bowler when it swings' – Trent Boult after demolishing India

Having suffered big defeats in the first three matches to concede the five-match series with two games to spare, New Zealand needed something special to pull one over India in the fourth one-day international on Thursday, 31 January. They delivered, and how!

Boult produced a devastating spell of fast bowling to take five Indian wickets. He enjoyed the swing he got from the Hamilton conditions, so much so he bowled his quota of 10 overs on the trot. His exploits earned the hosts a rather comfortable eight-wicket win.

"It's purely a conditions thing ... It was nice to see the ball move in the air like that. I feel like I am a different bowler definitely when it swings. I made the most of it today," he said.

"It's just one of those things," he added in a chat with Star Sports of the decision to bowl out his ten overs in one go. "You get a couple of wickets at the top ... it's a pretty unique thing to bowl 10 overs on the bounce. But just one of those things. The rhythm felt good. The ball was still swinging later in the spell, so it was about making the most of it.

"Once the ball is swinging like that you try to bring as many aspects, in terms of the bowled, the lbw, into play as well. Not so much as the catching men, they're important to keep the batsmen on strike. I bowled a couple of maidens as well. It's about not letting them off and giving them the option to rotate strike."

India have become a formidable one-day unit and a performance like this was unexpected by their standards. Yet, their excellent record in ODIs in recent times means that they can afford to look at this match as a rare blip.

"One of our worst performances with the bat in a long, long time," said Rohit Sharma, who is standing in as captain with Virat Kohli rested, in the post-match presentation. "Something we didn't expect."

But India's focus will be to put this behind them and get back to their usual ways come the next game in Wellington.

"These kind of matches happen ... If you look at the kind of cricket we've been playing in last few months, we've played some really good cricket," said Bhuvneshwar Kumar. "[Matches like these] are kind of a reality check [on] how we can play in the next match."

India's middle order has been a slight problem area. They had an opportunity to prove their mettle after the top order failed, but it wasn't to be. Debutant Shubman Gill was dismissed for nine, while Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu got ducks. Was it a missed opportunity then?

"Not really, can't say that after just one match. It was a tough wicket for batting. I wouldn't say it was a lost opportunity for the middle-order batsmen. But it's a learning curve," reasoned Kumar.

That this performance came immediately after Kohli was rested might give rise to suggestions that India are too reliant on the captain, who is ranked No.1 not only in ODIs, but also Tests.

"You always miss him or his kind of player, but at the same time, it was an opportunity for a young guy who came in his place. We don't always want to depend on [Kohli]," said Kumar.