Team India will be hosting New Zealand in the opening game of the 3-match ODI series, which will be followed by a 3-match T20I series. Hyderabad will be hosting the first ODI game between these two sides on 18th January. The Indian team registered a whitewash over Sri Lanka in the three-match ODI series after their shocking defeat against Bangladesh last month. They put in an impressive all-round performance against Sri Lanka with Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj dominating the series.
New Zealand lost the opening ODI against Pakistan but made a strong comeback by winning the last two games of the series. Captain Kane Williamson and head coach Gary Stead are missing the tour alongside star fast bowlers, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, and Trent Boult. The in-form wicketkeeper batter Tom Latham will be leading the team for the Kiwis, who scored 145* against India during India’s tour of New Zealand last month.
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New Zealand rank first in the current ICC ODI Team’s chart and has not lost any of the last five ODI encounters against India. These two sides have met each other in a total of 116 ODIs so far, with India winning 55 and New Zealand winning 50. Another exciting series is anticipated here between these two teams once again.
India
There’s no update on the shoulder injury of Yuzvendra Chahal as he missed the last two ODIs against Sri Lanka. Axar’s absence will allow India will have the chance to try out Washington Sundar for an extended period in that no.7 slot. Shardul Thakur will be expected to get a game in the series may be ahead of Umran Malik, who picked up crucial wickets in the middle-overs but bowled at an economy of more than 6.8 in both games against Sri Lanka and was rested for the third.
Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Umran Malik/Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal/Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj
New Zealand
Henry Nicholls could be the front-runner to replace Kane Williamson in the XI from their last game, while in the bowling department, the toss-up would be between the returning medium-pace allrounder Dough Bracewell or Blair Tickner. All three last played for New Zealand in April-July 2022.
Probable XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (C, wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner/Dough Bracewell, Lockie Ferguson
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Tom Latham, Virat Kohli (c), Shubman Gill, Devon Conway (vc), Hardik Pandya, Michael Bracewell, Mitchel Santner, Washington Sundar, Mohammad Siraj, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Yadav
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
Tom Latham, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill (c), Devon Conway (vc), Hardik Pandya, Michael Bracewell, Mitchel Santner, Mohammad Siraj, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Yadav, Ish Sodhi
