Beware, Dhoni & Co. World Cup finalists New Zealand will be no pushovers in the ODIs

Test cricket is a much-loved commodity in India again. Virat Kohli can take much credit for that. Since he took over the reins, India have gone from strength to strength, playing an exciting, unburdened form of the game that has delighted many. The results of that are clear to anyone: No. 1 on the rankings after a comprehensive 3-0 dismantling of a New Zealand side that provided a fight but never really had enough in the tanks.

The tour, though, is not over yet and the Kiwis could yet leave India on a happy note.

A five-match One Day International series begins in Dharamsala on Sunday and, ironically, India will not necessarily be going in as favourites. In fact, New Zealand could even have started as the team expected to win, if not for the fact that India will be playing at home.

If the Kiwis provided a decent fight in the Test, they will be a completely different proposition in the ODI format. For starters, they are above India in the official International Cricket Council ODI rankings. India are fourth with 110 points while New Zealand are three points higher at 113.

There is also India’s wretched run in this format of the game to take into account, which somehow has got lost amidst all the elation over their sparkle in the other formats of the game. Since the 2015 World Cup where India finished losing semi-finalists, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men have participated in five more ODI series and have won only two of them. Both of those two wins came in Zimbabwe. One of these series losses came against South Africa at home last year. Suffice to say, it is not a statistic that inspires much confidence.

Comparatively, New Zealand have defeated Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka at home recently while losing to South Africa and England away. Sandwiched between all that was a series win against Zimbabwe, where they lost the first match of the series but came back to win the next two.

Pace and potency

For that, the Kiwis have a squad which is full of great performers. Matt Henry and Trent Boult have already proved a handful for the Indian batsmen in the Tests and they may pose further questions in the ODIs. Henry, in particular, is in great form, having taken 15 wickets in his last five ODIs. The inclusion of Doug Bracewell, a promising fast-bowling all-rounder, to the squad will add further fillip to the attack.

There is their spearhead Tim Southee as well. He was ruled out of the Tests with an ankle injury but remains in the ODI squad. There is no word yet on his condition but if he does recover from injury, New Zealand are looking at a very potent pace attack to complement their spin duo of Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi.

Will Guptill (finally) come good?

One reason why New Zealand went down in the Tests was the abject failure of their batting, despite the bowlers still putting up a decent performance. In ODI colours though, they may get some of their own back. Opener Martin Guptill, who looked a sorry sight in the whites, will breathe a sigh of relief as he slips into coloured clothing. Since the World Cup, he has scored three centuries and eight half-centuries and averages above 60 in ODI cricket. The most notable of these knocks was an unbeaten 30-ball 93 against Sri Lanka right at the end of 2015.

Then there is Ross Taylor and captain Kane Williamson who both have been in the runs, recently. Taylor averages a humongous 95.50 in the 12 matches he has played since that World Cup – Kane Williamson, on the other hand, is at a much more modest 54. Apart from these three, Tom Latham has also quietly been making a case for himself in the format, with three gritty half-centuries against South Africa in their series last year.

Anderson’s returns adds flexibility

The ODI series against India will also mark the return of Corey Anderson to the Kiwi squad after an injury break. Anderson is arguably one of the most exciting players of the New Zealand squad and his ability to change games with his explosive hitting remains unparalleled.

But Anderson’s inclusion means that the Kiwi squad become very dangerous because of their flexibility and depth. A top three of Guptill, Williamson and Taylor gives way to a lower-order that comprises the likes of Anderson, Santner and the other all-rounder in the squad, Jimmy Neesham. An array of such multi-dimensional players adds flexibility and balance to the Kiwi squad. This is a trait India’s ODI squad sorely lacks and something Kane Williamson will hope to press to his advantage.

Finally, there is a new look about the Indian team which sees the return of Suresh Raina and the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja who played such important roles in the Test series triumph. Make no doubt, India have a challenge on their hands and Williamson will, no doubt, be eyeing revenge.