The ODI series between India and New Zealand is now just a day away with both sides preparing well.
Axar Patel, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer have been left out of the ODI squad.
While Axar and Rahul have personal reasons, Iyer has suffered an injury to his back.
This opens up the place for Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav in the playing XI and both will be mighty eager to play for India.
India’s top three Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli have been rock solid in the ODI series against Sri Lanka.
KL Rahul’s backup, KS Bharat is most likely going to warm the bench for the entire ODI series against the Black Caps.
For Kishan, he will have to bat in the middle order as against the opening slot. Similarly, Surya will also get a go-ahead in the middle order.
Moreover, India’s pacers such as Mohammad Siraj, Mohammed Shami, and Umran Malik have been in red-hot form for India in the recent ODI series.
Rajat Patidar comes in place of Shreyas Iyer in the squad
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh’s star batter, Rajat Patidar has been called as a backup for Shreyas Iyer in the squad.
However, Patidar will undergo the same fate as KS Bharat which is to warm the bench for the entire series.
Suryakumar and Hardik Pandya will add more firepower to India’s batting lineup for the ODI series.
Will India include Kul-Cha in the first ODI?
With Axar Patel out of India’s squad, the team will most likely keep Shahbaz Ahmed in the playing XI in place of Axar.
However, India used both Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav in the recent ODI series against Sri Lanka.
India’s strategy is to use one finger and one wrist spinner in their squad. However, it is up to the team management who they want to keep in the final playing XI.
The team may also give a go to Washington Sundar in the playing XI in place of Shahbaz Ahmed as the latter is effective against left-handers.
Hardik Pandya will play the role of the all-rounder in the squad as he has been doing recently.
New Zealand without the firepower of Kane Williamson and Tim Southee
On the other hand, the Kiwis are coming to this series without their star players, Kane Williamson and Tim Southee.
But, stand-in skipper Tom Latham is a very good batsman and has already proved his might against India when the two teams last met in an ODI series.
Which is why India needs to be wary of their new visitors.
New Zealand is on a high after beating Pakistan in an ODI series. This was an away series for the Black Caps.
Apart from Latham, Finn Allen who was not at his best in Karachi will now look to destroy India’s bowling attack.
Also, India would need a good strategy to stop Glenn Phillips who has also created trouble for India in the past.
Recently, Phillips single-handedly won the series for New Zealand against Pakistan although he was half-fit.
India and New Zealand Squads for the ODI series
India
Rajat Patidar, Rohit Sharma (c), Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya (vc), Shahbaz Ahmed, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umran Malik, Yuzvendra Chahal
New Zealand
Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Doug Bracewell, Henry Shipley, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Finn Allen (wk), Glenn Phillips (wk), Tom Latham (c & wk), Blair Tickner, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson
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