"Lots of Indian people supporting this Indian team, so it's nice to be here," the 29-year-old said.
"The atmosphere is really, really good, the people are very supportive over here."
Auckland friends Lucky Pabla and Simar Bahl were also in the Indian fan-zone but were supporting different sides.
"Definitely Kiwi supporter. Born and brought up here, so Kiwi by heart, eh," Pabla said.
"Great atmosphere, lot of crowd in, hopefully Black Caps get up today by six wickets, Kane Williamson hundred at his home ground."
The 21-year-old said he was enjoying giving the Indian supporters around him "some stick".
Bahl, 22, laughed at this. He said he was "120 per cent" an Indian supporter.
"And he's got nothing much to give me stick about, if you saw the last game and if you've seen the scoreboard right now."
Bahl would end up winning that good-natured battle.
He said they last visited Bay Oval for the Under 19 Cricket World Cup last year.
"It's good, it's quite intimate with the players right there, and no big concrete stadium and all that."
Dean Wedlake of Waihi Beach, who was sitting on the bank with his family, said Bay Oval was "choc-a-block".
He was enjoying having so much international cricket played in the Bay.
"I think it's cool that they see Mount Maunganui as an option nowadays – there's more people down here and this is a bona fide cricket ground now," he said.
"Whereas you used to get one game every couple of years, now we get two in a weekend. Hopefully we get a day-night test sometime soon."
He, too, commented on the turnout and spirit of the Indian fans – they were, after all, hard to miss.
"Every time they go anywhere in the world, there's more Indian fans than there is the local fans. They bring colour and excitement everywhere they go, which is pretty cool."
And on Saturday, the Bharat Army had plenty to celebrate.
Black Caps vs India
Third ODI
Today from 3pm at Bay Oval
