After clinching the 3-T20I series by a 1-0 margin, India will take on New Zealand in a 3-ODI series starting Friday.
Shikhar Dhawan will be leading a second-string squad as the seniors are rested. The last time India toured New Zealand for an ODI series, they were whitewashed 3-0. In-home conditions, once again, the Kiwis will be a strong unit.
Here is India’s squad for New Zealand ODIs: Shikhar Dhawan (C), Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (VC and WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Shahbaz Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar, Kuldeep Sen, Umran Malik
This series is important for the players who are on the fringe or could either lose their place from the ODI side. They would want to do well vs New Zealand in order to strengthen their case to be part of the squad for the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Here are 3 players who are in need to perform well in the New Zealand ODIs:
Shikhar Dhawan
Dhawan has been India’s stand-in ODI captain this year whenever both Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul were rested. Dhawan is also currently the first-choice batsman to partner Sharma at the 2023 WC. However, the left-hander needs to bring out big and consistent performances in this series after what has been an ordinary year so far for him, especially with Shubman Gill breathing down his neck, and also KL Rahul might even come back to opening from the middle-order position.
The 36-year-old will have to pull up his straps to prove his form. Even though he averages 40 in 16 ODI matches this year, Dhawan has scored his runs this year at a disappointing strike rate of 74. And while he did get a couple of sizeable scores against Zimbabwe and West Indies, Dhawan wasn’t at his best against stronger bowling units of England and Zimbabwe.
Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson must have felt gutted after not being given a chance to play in the T20I series. He might, though, get an opportunity to feature in the ODIs. Should he get any chance here, the Kerala batter should further make it count after an already impressive knock of 86* vs South Africa in Lucknow earlier.
He has been doing well in ODIs too this year: in 8 ODI knocks in 2022, Sanju Samson averages a magnificent 82 – courtesy of 5 not outs – and has scored his 248 runs at a strike rate of 107, which is a good rate in ODIs.
Kuldeep Yadav
After being sidelined due to form and injury in 2020 and 2021, Kuldeep Yadav has made a superb return in 2022. In 7 ODIs this year, the chinaman has snapped up 11 wickets – including a 4/18 in the last game against South Africa – at an average of 25 and economy of less than 5.
While Chahal seems the first-choice spinner along with Jadeja in the XI, Kuldeep can still be part of the 2023 WC squad and even play in the line-up because the tournament is being held in India where his spin bowling will be very effective.
