New Zealand vs India 2019, 1st ODI: Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Tips – Playing XI, Pitch Report & Injury Update

The Indian juggernaut moves to New Zealand now after a successful tour to Australia. The five-match ODI series is expected to be closely fought as both the teams are strong enough. Also, the conditions, ground dimensions and the pitches in New Zealand will be exactly similar to those in England where the World Cup will be played later this year. This series will help the teams figure out their best combinations for the mega-event.

MS Dhoni batted at number four in the third ODI against Australia but is expected to slot back at five again with Ambati Rayudu returning to the squad. There will also be a temptation to play Kuldeep Yadav in the XI but the short boundaries might still keep him out of the side. With no Jasprit Bumrah for this series as well, Shami will have to carry the workload without being rested.

As far as New Zealand is concerned, Doug Bracewell is making a comeback to the ODI side but with Colin de Grandhomme in the squad, the latter will be preferred it seems. Lockie Ferguson will be the key player with his pace as Trent Boult and Tim Southee are the new ball bowlers. Tom Latham is also making a comeback after resting and will don the gloves behind the stumps.

Match Details:

The first game of the 5-match ODI series between New Zealand and India will be hosted by the McLean Park in Napier.

The match starts at 3:00 PM local time (2:00 AM GMT) (7:30 AM IST).

The game will be live on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi and Star Sports 1 Hindi HD in India. (Live streaming in Hotstar)

Last five completed ODI matches:

New Zealand: W, W, W, L, W.

India: W, W, L, W, W.

Pitch Condition/Report:

McLean Park is one of the best batting tracks in New Zealand. In the recent Super Smash T20 game, more than 400 runs were scored a similar kind is expected to be on offer for the series opener. Moreover, the short square boundaries will also make it tough for the bowlers as the margin of error will be very less for them.

Know more about the pitch

Average 1st innings score: 267 (Last four ODIs)

Record of the teams batting second: Won – 2, Lost – 2 (Last four ODIs)

Probable Playing XI:

New Zealand:

Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson(C), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi.

Bench – Doug Bracewell, Matt Henry, Henry Nicholls.

Note: Tim Southee has a good record in ODIs against India. This might help him to be part of the playing XI despite his recent poor performances in limited-overs.

India:

Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(C), Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami.

Bench –  Dinesh Karthik, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, K Khaleel Ahmed, Shubman Gill.

Note: India might not play both wrist spinners due to the short square boundaries.

Power Picks:

Ross Taylor is in the form of his life. He has scored six back-to-back half-centuries in ODIs ( 4 fifties and 2 centuries). He has scored five fifties and three centuries in his last nine ODI innings. Taylor could once again pose threat to India.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Going by the current form, Virat Kohli and Ross Taylor are the ideal options for the captain and vice-captain. But with the flat pitch on offer, the openers from both the teams can also score big. Rohit Sharma, Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson are the other alternatives for the captain and vice-captain.

Also Read: Preview of 1st ODI

Suggested Playing XI for Head to Head/Small Leagues:

Keeper – MS Dhoni

Batsmen – Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor (VC)

All-Rounders – Kedar Jadhav, Mitchell Santner

Bowlers – Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson.

Suggested Playing XI for Grand Leagues/Mega Leagues:

Keeper – Tom Latham

Batsmen – Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor (VC)

All-Rounders – Kedar Jadhav

Bowlers – Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi.

Expert Advice:

There is a possibility of Henry Nicholls playing as a wicketkeeper and if that happens then Tom Latham will not play. This makes MS Dhoni a safe and direct pick for the wicketkeepers’ category.

Probable Winners:

It is difficult to predict a winner as both the teams are very strong. It will be a clear battle between the batsmen of the two teams on a flat pitch.

*Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.

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