New Zealand vs India 1st ODI: Key player battles
New Zealand are gearing up to host India in the opener of the three-match series on Friday (November 25). Having won the T20I leg of the tour 1-0, the Men in Blue would be high on confidence. NZ will fight for redemption. As both sides are studded with prominent players, an exciting battle is on the cards. Here we decode the key player battles.
Shikhar Dhawan vs Tim Southee
Stand-in skipper Shikhar Dhawan would be determined to lead from the front. As he opens the innings, the southpaw will have to tackle Tim Southee's brilliance with the new ball. The veteran pacer, who took a hat-trick in the T20I series, has dismissed Dhawan twice in seven ODI meetings. The latter, however, strikes at 110.71 against Southee in the format.
Suryakumar Yadav vs Lockie Ferguson
Suryakumar Yadav, who slammed a ton in the T20I series, will pose a massive threat to the New Zealand bowlers. The dasher, who has been in scintillating form lately, has 340 runs in 13 ODIs (SR: 98.83). Lockie Ferguson, who is one of the fastest bowlers going around, would like to keep SKY quiet. Ferguson has scalped 45 wickets in 25 ODIs since 2019.
Devon Conway vs Deepak Chahar
Chennai Super Kings teammates, Devon Conway and Deepak Chahar will look to get the better of each other. As Conway opens the innings and Chahar operates with the new ball, both players are set to lock horns. Known for his ability to swing the ball, Chahar has scalped 26 wickets in 31 international games across formats. Conway, however, averages 75 in home ODIs.
Jimmy Neesham vs Yuzvendra Chahal
Known for his big-hitting in the crunch overs, Jimmy Neesham would be critical to NZ's success in the series. The swashbuckler might cross swords with veteran leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the middle overs. Notably, Neesham has fallen prey to leg-spinners four times in 26 ODI innings (SR: 82.97). Chahal has also dismissed him once in the format, conceding just nine runs in 19 deliveries.
