New Zealand look to salvage pride as India try out reserves

Overview

New Zealand v India4th ODI
Seddon Park, Hamilton
Thursday, 31 January, 15:00 local (02:00 GMT)

A 3-0 lead for India in a five-match series has jolted New Zealand's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup preparations. It hasn't just been the losses that have hurt the Kane Williamson-led side, but the manner of those defeats.

On two occasions New Zealand were dismissed for sub-200 scores and in the third game at the Bay Oval, where they eventually crossed 200, India chased the total down in just 43 overs.

Batting has been the main cause of concern for the hosts. The middle-order trio of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Tom Latham have got starts – Taylor went on to to score 93 in the third ODI – but it's the top and lower-middle order that haven't lived up to expectations.

Openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro have managed just 33 and 46 runs respectively in the three games so far and the likes of Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner and Colin de Grandhomme haven't been to convert starts.

Hence, the pressure has fallen on bowlers to restrict the opposition, but with a batting line-up as strong as India's, that's been far from easy. The batting needs to step up if New Zealand are to register their first win.

There's good news, though. James Neesham has returned from injury and may walk into the XI, and so could Todd Astle.

For India, it will be a brief period without regular captain Virat Kohli, who has been rested from the final two ODIs as well as the Twenty20 International series to follow. Rohit Sharma will lead the side.

Kohli's departure also opens a top-order slot in the batting order, and the most suitable candidate is the young Shubman Gill, who received his maiden ODI call-up before the series, but hasn't played a game yet.

Gill averages 47.78 from 36 List A matches and rose to prominence with his Player of the Series performance in the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup 2018 in the same country where he is now expected to make his debut.

In the bowling department, India may look to rest their front-line seamers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami and give opportunities to Mohammed Siraj and Khaleel Ahmed, the two pacers on the bench who may look to push their case for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup later this year.

The rest of the line could remain the same with any of Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav and Hardik Pandya expected to occupy positions at No.4, 5, 6 and 7.

Key players

Ross Taylor (New Zealand): The most experienced New Zealand batsman showed his class in the last match where he led his side to a total of respectability even though he fell short of a hundred. He's been in a great run of form, and will be eying that three-figure mark.

Rohit Sharma (India): The stand-in captain is yet to score a hundred against New Zealand in New Zealand and with scores of 87 and 62 in the second and third ODIs, he looks to be on his way to a ton.

Conditions

Temperatures are expected to range between 29 and 16°C in Hamilton and there is only a 10% chance of rain. The last ODI at Seddon Park was played in February 2018 between England and New Zealand, with the hosts chasing down 285. A high-scoring affair can be expected.

Squads

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, James Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Todd Astle, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor

India: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, K Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Shami, Vijay Shankar, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya