
Pune: An under pressure India will face
their stiffest test in recent times when they try to bounce
back in the three-match ODI series against a refreshed New
Zealand in the must-win second game here tomorrow.
It is not often that India find themselves in a 'save the
series situation' at home, having won the last six in their
backyard.
Not many had also expected New Zealand to topple India in
the series-opener at the Wankhede but the visitors, playing
their first match since the Champions Trophy, did it in
emphatic style.
It took a record breaking 200-run stand from Ross Taylor
and Tom Latham to get the better of their formidable
opponents, putting New Zealand on the cusp of a rare series
win in India.
The way they played spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and
Kuldeep Yadav was commendable, considering the Australians
struggled against the same combination in the preceding
series.
The hosts, no doubt, were off-colour at Wankhede but the
Virat Kohli-led side is expected to come back hard at the
Black Caps tomorrow. Kohli led from the front on Sunday with
his 31st ODI ton but did not get the support from his team.
India head coach Ravi Shastri too would want the rest of
the side to step up.
The dangerous opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit
Sharma fell to the swing and accuracy of Trent Boult in Mumbai
and they will now have to find a way to negotiate the left-arm
pacer early on in their innings.
The Indian captain, who stuck a memorable hundred in
his 200th ODI, would like to continue from where he left off.
His role will be again crucial if the team has to set up a big
total, provided it bats first.
The last time Kohli played at the venue, he ended up
scoring a match-winning knock against England in January.
The number four spot remains a concern for the team
management with 11 batsmen being tried at that position since
the 2015 World Cup. Kedar Jadhav batted at number four on
Sunday but failed to do the job.
Dinesh Karthik, batting at number five, played a decent
knock in his comeback game, stitching a 73-run stand with
captain Kohli before throwing his wicket away.
He is expected to make the playing eleven tomorrow,
leaving little possibility of Manish Pandey getting a game.
More than 20 overs were left when MS Dhoni walked in to
bat but he too could not capitalise after making 25 off 42
balls.
On the bowling front, the spin duo of Chahal and Yadav,
who gave away 125 runs and managed a lone wicket, will be keen
to make amends. They will have to find way to stop the likes
Tom Latham from playing sweep and reverse sweeps at will.
India are likely to retain the pacers from the first
game.
On the other hand, New Zealand will be high on confidence
after a comprehensive win. However, skipper Kane Williamson
would like to be among the runs after the forgettable outings
in the warm-up match and the first ODI.
Latham and Taylor stitched a special stand at the
Wankhede after openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro
squandered promising starts. And they would not want to repeat
that again.
The Kiwis missed a second spinner and would be tempted
to play Ish Sodhi tomorrow along with Mitchell Santner, who
bowled effectively, in place of medium pacer Colin De
Grandhome, who went for runs.
The pace trio of Adam Milne, Boult and Tim Southee will
again shoulder the responsibility to take wickets at the top.
The Pune pitch was a belter when India played England and
another run feast is expected tomorrow.
Squads: India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar
Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh
Karthik, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep
Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and
Shardul Thakur.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Trent Boult,
Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham,
Henry Nicholls, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Glenn Phillips,
Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, George Worker and
Ish Sodhi.
Match commences at 1:30 pm IST.