Having won the first two matches, India enjoy a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series against New Zealand. The third match was abandoned due to rain, which means that India cannot lose the series now. At the same time, New Zealand cannot win it either. The best result possible for the Kiwis is a drawn series. However, for that to happen, they need to pull their socks up quickly. Their selectors delivered quite a few shockers when they announced a team almost entirely devoid of senior players for the fourth ODI.
This means that the likes of Will Young, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert will have to take up the mantle with the bat. With the ball, skipper Mitchell Santner will have to rely on Michael Bracewell, Kristian Clarke and Kyle Jamieson to step up. India, too, have made several changes for the final two ODIs of the series. They have asked captain Shubman Gill and wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul to leave the team and start preparing for the two-match Test series, which will be played after the ODIs. This has left Shreyas Iyer at the helm.
Still, India appear to be stronger than the hosts, primarily because of the presence of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. These two former captains have a wealth of experience under their belts and are pressing for their inclusion in the India squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup. In the bowling department, a four-pronged pace attack of Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar, Auqib Nabi and Arshdeep Singh will lead the way for India. Bowling all-rounder Axar Patel, asked to bat at number six or seven, will be the visitors' sole spin option.
Predicted Teams
NZ: Will Young,
Tim Seifert,
Finn Allen,
Nick Kelly,
Mitchell Hay (wk),
Michael Bracewell,
Mitchell Santner (c),
Matthew Fisher,
Kyle Jamieson,
Jacob Duffy,
Kristian Clarke.
IND: Rohit Sharma,
Ruturaj Gaikwad,
Virat Kohli,
Shreyas Iyer (c),
Ishan Kishan (wk),
Axar Patel,
Naman Dhir,
Auqib Nabi,
Gurnoor Brar,
Mohammed Siraj,
Arshdeep Singh.
Key Players
Kyle Jamieson (NZ): Many cricket fans feel that Kyle Jamieson's height gives him an unfair advantage. However, if the Kiwi uses his 6-foot-8 frame to good effect, he can become nigh on unplayable. The seamer is among the most dangerous to have come out of New Zealand's stables of late. His ability to consistently hit the deck and get the ball to jump up all of a sudden makes him hard to negate. Jamieson's first task will be to see the back of India openers Rohit Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who can trouble the Kiwis with their partnership if they get going. If he manages to bag the prized wicket of Virat Kohli, too, Jamieson will become a hero for the home team.
Shreyas Iyer (IND): Handed the responsibility of leading the side in Shubman Gill's absence, Shreyas Iyer will be keen on getting his basics right. While he was successful in leading India to a series victory in the T20Is preceding the ODIs, captaining a side in 50-over cricket is a different ball game altogether. Iyer is a dangerous prospect as a middle-order batter, too, as he can use a fair combination of strike rotation and boundary hitting. He is a wily customer who reads the fields set for him by the opposition captain. Iyer is confident both on the front foot and the back foot, which means that he can be quite hard to ruffle with short-pitched deliveries. This was a weakness of his in youth, but he has managed to overcome it now.
Match Prediction
India are the favourites to win this match. They are expected to wrap up the series comfortably. New Zealand have announced a fledgling side for this match, and this will play straight into India's hands. While the Men in Blue too will be without Gill and Rahul, they still have the bulk of their senior players. New Zealand, on the other hand, look bereft of experience. Captain Santner will have a lot of thinking to do, especially since he does not have the likes of Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham to fall back on during times of crisis. New Zealand's bowling unit, however, looks compact.