IND vs NZ: India prepare for tougher test against plucky New Zealand

As India (IND) prepares to face off against New Zealand (NZ) in a three-match ODI series and three T20Is, both teams come off of recent series wins. India defeated Sri Lanka 3-0 at home, while New Zealand beat Pakistan 2-1 away from home.

Despite the absence of key players Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, and Trent Boult, the BlackCaps will still prove to be a tough competition for the Men in Blue. In terms of head-to-head record, India holds a slight upper hand with 55 wins in 113 outings, while New Zealand has 50 wins, 7 no results, and 1 tie.

For India, KL Rahul and Axar Patel will not be available due to family commitments. Ishan Kishan will replace Rahul, and Hardik Pandya will return after being rested from the third ODI against Sri Lanka. Washington Sundar is expected to replace Axar.

The surface at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium is supportive for batters, and a high-scoring match is likely as both teams boast strong batting line-ups. Batting first is expected to be the strategy as both captains aim to put up a big total.

The first ODI will take place on January 18 at 1:30 PM IST at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. India’s predicted XI includes Rohit Sharma as captain, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Umran Malik.

New Zealand’s predicted XI includes Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, and Henry Shipley.