India kick off their three-match ODI series against New Zealand with the first game set to be played in Vadodara on Sunday. The match marks the return of senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while Shubman Gill leads the ODI side once again. With the IPL and T20 World Cup around the corner, this series holds added significance for both teams as they fine-tune combinations.
IND vs NZ 1st ODI: Match Details
The first ODI between India national cricket team and New Zealand national cricket team will be played at the BCA Stadium.
The match is scheduled to start at 1:30 PM IST on Sunday.
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Big Comebacks and Talking Points
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are back in India colours after featuring in domestic cricket, spending long hours in the nets ahead of the opener. This could be their final ODI appearance until July, making the series even more closely watched.
Shubman Gill returns as captain after missing out on the T20 World Cup squad. The young opener will be keen to stamp his authority, especially after strong domestic form. Meanwhile, the absence of Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj from the final training session was due to their Vijay Hazare Trophy commitments.
Predicted Playing XI – India
India are expected to go with a balanced XI, prioritising experience and depth in the middle order.
India Predicted XI:
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vc), KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh
Key player to watch:
Yashasvi Jaiswal could miss out despite scoring his maiden ODI century in his last outing, as the team looks to fit both Rahul and Pant in the XI for added stability.
Head-to-Head Record in ODIs
India and New Zealand have faced each other 120 times in ODIs so far.
India have won 62 matches, while New Zealand have emerged victorious 50 times, underlining a closely fought rivalry.
Full Squads
India Squad:
Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Shreyas Iyer (vc), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
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New Zealand Squad:
Michael Bracewell (c), Adi Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway (wk), Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay (wk), Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rae, Will Young.
Live Streaming and Telecast Details
The India vs New Zealand 1st ODI will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website. Television viewers can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network.
