India will hope its batting line-up comes good and helps avoid a series whitewash against New Zealand when the two teams face each other in the third One-Day International at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Tuesday.
Despite missing regular skipper Kane Williamson in the first two games due to a shoulder injury, the hosts shrugged off the T20 International series whitewash to claim the three-match ODI series. New Zealand, though, are expected to have the experience and leadership of Williamson back for the final game as he has passed the fitness test.
Also read – Kohli’s sloppy India have betrayed a dangerous lack of interest in the series
The major difference between the two sides has been the top-order’s impact. With Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan absent due to injuries, Virat Kohli not quite at his best and KL Rahul batting lower in the order, the visitors have struggled to get good starts.
Openers Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal have shown only momentary flashes of brilliance and have not replicated the kind of starts the Indian batting has grown accustomed to from its top order.
In Rohit’s absence, Kohli was expected to do the heavy lifting with the bat in the ODIs. But the skipper has managed only 66 runs in the two innings so far.
This has resulted in a reversal of fortunes on the limited-overs leg of this tour, as India had arrived in Mount Maunganui a week ago leading the T20I series by a 4-0 margin. They went on to complete the whitewash, but now find themselves having to avoid one at the same ground.
It is also a reversal of results from India’s last tour to New Zealand in 2019 when they won the ODI series 4-1 but lost the T20I series 2-1. India’s previous ODI series loss in New Zealand (1-4) was on the 2014 tour.
Shreyas Iyer, with a hundred and a half-century, mirrored Ross Taylor’s rich form in Hamilton and Auckland, but he lacked the finishing touch in the second ODI. The right-hander couldn’t see India’s chase through in Auckland like the senior Kiwi batsman did in Hamilton.
India may also look to experiment a bit before the Test series. Rahul, Shaw, Iyer, Kedar Jadhav and Yuzvendra Chahal did not take part in the optional practice session on Monday.
Kohli was first into the nets against both pace and spin. Manish Pandey was in the nets beside him, while Rishabh Pant had a long session.
Pant has not played limited-overs cricket since he suffered a concussion against Australia. If India go unchanged in the third ODI the left-hander would have missed out entirely from playing white-ball cricket on this tour. But it is likely that India will ring in the changes which could see Pandey, Pant get game-time as Kohli said in Auckland that fringe players will get a look in for the match.
In the bowling department, all pacers were present for training on Monday, except Mohammed Shami. The senior pacer is likely to rest out the third ODI as well, something Kohli had hinted at during the toss for the previous game.
New Zealand have added leg spinner Ish Sodhi and pacer Blair Tickner to the squad for Tuesday’s match. Sodhi played in the first ODI at Hamilton, bowling Kohli with a googly.
They were part of the New Zealand A team playing an unofficial Test against India A but did not take part on the fourth day’s proceedings. Tim Southee (stomach bug), Mitchell Santner (stomach bug) and Scott Kuggeleijn (viral fever) are hoping to recover in time for the third ODI.
Kohli might have said that ODIs are not quite important for India in this calendar year but for someone who hates losing, the thought of a whitewash under his leadership would be unthinkable. With big runs due from his bat, the match on Tuesday will likely see Kohli charged up to end the white-ball leg on a high.
Squads
India: Virat Kohli (capt), Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul (wk), Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (capt), Tom Latham (wk), Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, Jimmy Neesham, Scott Kuggeleijn, Tom Blundell, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Hamish Bennett, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi and Blair Tickner.
Match begins at 7:30 am IST.
(With inputs from PTI)
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!