India Aims to Seal Series Against New Zealand in Rajkot ODI
India will look to secure another white-ball series victory when they face New Zealand in the second One-Day International. The match takes place at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Wednesday. The hosts carry momentum from a hard-fought win in the series opener.
Recap of the First ODI Thriller
New Zealand pushed India to their limits in Vadodara. The Kiwis posted a challenging total of 301 runs on a batting-friendly surface. Virat Kohli anchored the chase with a masterful 93, his fifth consecutive fifty-plus score. However, New Zealand's pace spearhead Kyle Jamieson created serious tension. He removed Kohli and also dismissed Ravindra Jadeja and Shreyas Iyer, recording his career-best bowling figures. Captain KL Rahul eventually guided India home in the penultimate over, securing a four-wicket victory.
Predicted Playing Elevens for the Crucial Encounter
India's Likely XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (Captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain), KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Key Player for India: All eyes will be on Virat Kohli. He is operating near his peak form again. The Rajkot pitch promises to be excellent for batting. Kohli will be eager to score an ODI century at a ground where he hasn't achieved that milestone before.
New Zealand's Likely XI: Devon Conway (Wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitch Hay (Wicketkeeper), Michael Rae, Michael Bracewell, Zak Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Adi Ashok.
Key Player for New Zealand: Kyle Jamieson remains the main threat. His opening spell and consistent hard lengths troubled the Indian batters significantly. Even on a flat Rajkot deck, his height and skill could prove very dangerous, especially against right-handers.
Head-to-Head ODI Record
The historical data favors India slightly in this long-standing rivalry.
- Total Matches Played: 121
- India Wins: 63
- New Zealand Wins: 50
- No Result: 7
- Tied: 1
Full Squad Lists for Both Teams
India Squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ayush Badoni.
New Zealand Squad: Michael Bracewell (Captain), Adi Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway (Wicketkeeper), Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay (Wicketkeeper), Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rae, Will Young.
Match Schedule and How to Watch
The second ODI between India and New Zealand starts at 1:30 PM Indian Standard Time on Sunday. Fans can watch the live telecast on the Star Sports network. The match will also be streamed live on the JioCinema app and website.
