New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips credited his quick running between the wickets to team culture and his natural instincts after scoring 70 off 43 balls against India in the second T20I at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday. His innings helped the hosts post 180/5 in the first innings.

Phillips hit four sixes and four fours. Running between the wickets was a major feature of his knock, and it nearly ended early. He made a full-length dive to avoid being run out early in the innings. Had he not made that dive, he would have been run out.

Trouble early, then a recovery

New Zealand were in serious trouble at 41/3 after 5.2 overs. The Indian bowlers made early inroads during the powerplay, and the hosts needed a fightback. Phillips and Bevon Jacobs (58) provided it, sharing a 116-run partnership for the fourth wicket. That stand revived the innings and carried New Zealand to a competitive total.

Speaking after the first innings, Phillips spoke to broadcasters during the mid-innings break. He said quick running had become second nature to him and the team. He was asked about the secret, and his answer put the credit on the group rather than on himself.

“I’d like to say it’s just how my brain works, but I think it’s probably more about the team mentality and the culture that we’ve built over the years of doing this.”

He went on to describe the approach behind it. For New Zealand, the idea is to work as hard as possible and take the extra run, because that single run might decide the game. Phillips called it the key to the way the side runs, and it is a mindset that the team has built over time.

What the fans are really asking

Cricket fans in India and around the world want to know what drives New Zealand’s athleticism between the wickets. The answer Phillips gave is not a list of drills or a fitness formula. It is a habit built into the squad, shaped over years, and reinforced by a shared willingness to chase every possible run. The source material does not describe specific training methods, so the explanation rests on mentality and culture.

A total that felt hard to reach

Phillips admitted the target seemed difficult at one stage. He said that, given the start the side had, 180 looked like about the highest they could get. He felt the innings ended well, and he credited the launch phase for putting the hosts in a position to post a total like that. In his words, the early platform gave the innings its shape.

Form that the batter is backing

Phillips had scored 82 in the first T20I. He followed that with another half-century in the second, and he described his recent form as fantastic. He said his approach was simple: put his best foot forward, play every ball on its merits, and do what he can for his teammates. Two big innings in consecutive matches have made his return to the crease a central story of this series at Hagley Oval.

The bigger picture

The match put Phillips at the centre of New Zealand’s response to India’s early pressure. A side that was 41/3 in the powerplay found a way back into the game, with a batter who ran hard, dived to survive, and then spoke openly about why his team runs the way it does. For a cricket audience chasing the secret of New Zealand’s running, Phillips offered a clear answer: it is the culture, the mentality, and the willingness to take that extra run.