New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Mills insists that Sunday's defeat in the first ODI against India was a chance lost for a Black Caps side seeking to make amends for last month's 4-0 drubbing by Bangladesh.
Put into bat first at the Nehru Stadium in Guwahati, India scored 276, while New Zealand were bowled out for 236.
Mills said that it was a game that had possibly got away from New Zealand.
"They got probably 35 to 40 runs more than they should have got.
"We let then get off to some decent partnerships at the top of the batting order, (though) they lost their last seven wickets for 50 runs," the New Zealand Herald quoted Mills, as saying.
Mills, who hit 32 off 28 balls in the match, further said that the Bangladesh tour had been an extremely disappointing trip and definitely the lowest point of his cricketing career.
"I have had a long time to think about that, and I really wanted to use this one-day series to right the wrongs of that trip.
"We are a far better side than we displayed and need to right those wrongs, but unfortunately we fell short in the three departments of batting, fielding and bowling," Mills said.
"And also definitely on my mind was the Pike River mining incident back home.
"A lot of people are mourning and you feel for the people and families involved in that terrible disaster. It was great opportunity on Sunday afternoon to put a smile back on the faces of people back home," he added.
