Last Updated on 7 years by Charbel Coorey
How good is it when the underdog gets a victory?
I’ll admit that I didn’t expect New Zealand to get a victory in the 1st ODI, and with good reason…
- New Zealand are not used to the heat and humidity of Mumbai. They even had a player, Colin de Grandhomme, throw up on the field.
- India have been strong in ODIs since the Champions Trophy and especially strong at home.
- New Zealand had to chase down the highest total to win at the Wankhede.
- It was Virat Kohli’s 200th ODI, with a huge Mumbai crowd behind him and Team India.
However, New Zealand came out on top in a 1st ODI filled with records. Can they repeat it?
Tom Latham and Ross Taylor followed up Trent Boult’s brilliant effort with a record-breaking 200 stand that took the game away from India. That would’ve hurt the Indians, and it will be interesting to see how they bounce back from that.
They would want more from their top order (except Kohli) this time around, as much of their innings was spent rebuilding. Trent Boult was superb with 4/35 in nightmare conditions for fast bowlers. Still, 280 was a fair total, and New Zealand chased it expertly.
Tom Latham showcased how good he is against spin. If the spinners were a touch too full, he would be strong on the sweep. Once the length was brought back, he was quick to get on the back foot and work the ball into gaps. Expert innings from a talented cricketer, and a masterstroke by New Zealand to put him in the middle order, where they’ve really struggled in 2017. He was well supported by Ross Taylor (95) who showed his experience, and finally stepped up in India.
So which way will the 2nd ODI go? Can New Zealand pull off an unlikely series win?
Key to an India win
Overcoming the quartet of Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Tom Latham. Guptill and Williamson had quieter outings, but India still must realise how dangerous these two players are.
What adjustments in line and length will the Indian spinners make in the 2nd ODI?
India usually bounce back really well after losing the first ODI of a series at home, and will still be confident of putting the New Zealand batting line up under stress.
Key to a New Zealand win
This seemed near impossible when writing the preview of the 1st ODI.
The Black Caps really stood up, and for them to take the series, it’s their bowlers that need to keep India relatively quiet for the second game in a row.
Out of New Zealand’s star quartet, you can expect at least two will score well. If the likes of Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner can repeat their heroics, it will go a long way to securing a famous New Zealand win.
Who needs to step up?
For India, Rohit Sharma. His problems against left-arm seam has been well documented, and he will be put to the test once against by Boult.
For New Zealand, Kane Williamson. Kane’s had a solid year with the bat in ODIs, but will be keen to avoid to failures in a row. He needs to lead from the front, with a great opportunity presenting New Zealand.
Predicted line-ups:
India: 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (c), 4 Kedar Jadhav, 5 Dinesh Karthik, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal
New Zealand: 1 Colin Munro, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Kane Williamson (c), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Colin De Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Adam Milne, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent Boult
Stats & Facts
- India’s last loss in a home ODI series was in 2015 v South Africa.
- India have won their last six ODI series, home and away.
- Virat Kohli needs 112 runs to reach 9,000 ODI runs. He is well on track to be the fastest to the mark. AB de Villiers reached this milestone after 205 innings. Kohli has 8,888 runs in 192 innings.
- Tom Latham’s last four scores in ODIs: 54, 104, 84, 103*
- Ross Taylor in ODIs in 2017: 755 runs, avg. 58.07, SR 83.33
- Since the January 2013 series against England, India have lost the first ODI in a bilateral series at home on five occasions. On all but one occasion, they won the series.
Can New Zealand do the unthinkable and get a win no one was expecting? Or can India bounce back, as they have done regularly at home since January 2013?
Should be an interesting clash in Pune.
