New Zealand recovered to reach 273 for eight with half centuries by Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor mixed with a mid-innings collapse in the second one-day international in Auckland on Saturday.
The batting performance bore no resemblance to the match-winning innings in the first ODI as New Zealand fell apart against an accurate India attack.
From being one for 142 with more than 23 overs remaining, New Zealand lost seven wickets for only 55 runs over the next 15 overs before Kyle Jamieson, on debut, joined Taylor to put on 76 in a late flurry of boundaries.
Taylor was not out 73 with the 2.03 metre (6ft 8in) Jamieson unbeaten on 25 to go with Guptill’s 79.
But the innings was shaped by Shardul Thakur who accounted for the wickets of Tom Blundell and Colin de Grandhomme and the crucial run out of Guptill.
Ravindra Jadeja removed Tom Latham and ran out Jimmy Neesham while Yuzendra Chahal took the wickets of Henry Nicholls, Mark Chapman and Tim Southee.
Nicholls (41) put on 93 with Guptill in a promising start for New Zealand and when Chahal dropped a caught and bowled chance off Nicholls it appeared luck was on their side.
But Chahal claimed the opener’s wicket in his next over with Blundell then joining Guptill to lift the score to 142 when the collapse started.
Blundell was caught for 22 and Guptill, who had posted his 36th ODI half-century and first in 11 innings, followed three overs later when he called for a single that never looked on and was run out.
While Taylor, a centurymaker in the first match, held up one end he had a succession of partners who failed to reach double figures until Jamieson arrived to help him through to his 51st half century.