Auckland ODI: India, New Zealand clash in rare five-match affair
What's the story
After a high-scoring T20I leg, New Zealand and India are set to lock horns in the ODI series. The two teams clash in a five-match ODI series, a rarity these days, the first of which will be hosted by Eden Park in Auckland on November 4. While the Kiwis are coming off a 2-3 T20I series defeat, India are backed by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's presence.
Dynamics
Pitch, conditions, and timing
The Eden Park pitch for longer games is usually bowling-friendly, unlike the one prepared for T20s.
According to Cricinfo, the highest ODI score here at this venue is 340 (2007).
In the last ODI between the two sides at Eden Park, NZ chased down 307 in 47.1 overs.
According to AccuWeather, Auckland will see a "little rain in the morning," with overhead clouds at night. The match will begin at 7:30am IST.
Focus
Indian batters in focus
The ODI series will be a major test for India's batting lineup, especially Rohit and Kohli.
The two stalwarts will get a chance to prove their mettle on bouncy surfaces, which could be the norm in next year's World Cup.
Notably, India will continue to miss both Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah in ODIs.
Likely XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Gurnoor Brar, and Arshdeep Singh.
Miss
NZ miss Devon Conway
Meanwhile, New Zealand will miss Devon Conway, who suffered a concussion after colliding with Matt Henry during fielding drills.
Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra are also unavailable for selection. This could pave the way for Tim Seifert's return to the ODI side.
Likely XI: Tim Seifert, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wicket-keeper), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy, and Matt Henry.
Record
Head-to-head record
According to Cricinfo, India hold an edge over New Zealand in ODIs.
In 123 head-to-head clashes, India won 63 while New Zealand managed 52 wins. The tally includes seven no-results and one tied match.
The two sides met earlier this year in a three-ODI series on Indian soil. Despite losing the opener, the Kiwis prevailed by winning the remaining two games.
India record
India's ODI record in NZ
India have struggled against the Kiwis in ODIs played on New Zealand soil, winning 14 of the 41 completed matches. While one encounter ended in a tie, NZ won 26 times.
Overall, India have won just two of the 10 bilateral ODI series on NZ soil - 3-1 in 2009 and 4-1 in 2019. The Kiwis have won six series, while there were also a couple of drawn series.
Stats
Players in spotlight
According to Cricinfo, Rohit has never scored an ODI hundred in New Zealand, averaging 36.41 from 13 innings.
Meanwhile, Kohli has the third-most ODI runs for India in the nation. He is also the highest run-scorer in India-NZ ODIs.
Gill is this year's leading run-scorer in ODIs with 895 runs from 11 innings at an average of 111.87 and a strike rate of 118.7.
Daryl Mitchell averages 74.10 against India with four tons in 11 innings.
Poll