India vs New Zealand: Hardik Pandya, Trent Boult and other key players to watch out for ahead of ODI series

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  • Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya will be one to keep an eye out for.

    India are set to take on New Zealand in the first of the three-match ODI series at the Wankhede stadium, Mumbai on Sunday.

    Virat Kohli’s men have only recently been dislodged by South Africa as the top-ranked one-day team but they have the opportunity of reclaiming that honour if they can complete a 3-0 sweep of the Kiwis.

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  • India have recently come off a 4-1 win over Australia in the ODI series before drawing the T20I series 1-1.

    The Black Caps on the other hand have not played any limited-overs matches since bowing out in the group-stages in the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this summer.

    As the two sides prepare to go head-to-head, we look at the two key players from either to keep an eye on.

    India

    Hardik Pandya

    India’s latest all-round sensation has created quite a reputation for himself since making his debut almost a year earlier against the same opposition.

    Since then, Pandya’s game has come on leaps and bounds and he has continued to show why he was such hot property in the IPL.

    Having now earned a Test cap for India too, Pandya’s greatest strength still lies in his aggressive and belligerent hitting down the order having hit 28 sixes already in the 26 matches he has played so far.

    The 24-year-old was mighty impressive against Australia in the ODI series where he scored two half-centuries and chipped in with some vital wickets. He will be looking to continue that form against the Kiwis.

    Pandya has had a dream 12-months since making his debut last year.

    Pandya has had a dream 12-months since making his debut last year.

    Rohit Sharma

    The Indian vice-captain was in stellar form against the Aussies in the 50-over matches with scores of 71, 65 and 125 in the final three matches.

    The opening batsman remains one of the best around in the limited-overs format and his numbers back up that fact.

    Since 2016, Sharma has scored 1, 466 runs in 25 matches at a staggering average of 66.63 along with a healthy strike rate of 95.38.

    In this period, he has also hit six tons along with seven half-centuries and a highest score of 171.

    If Sharma gets going on Sunday, it could be a long day at work for the Kiwi bowlers.

    Sharma was in fine form in the recently concluded series with Australia.

    Sharma was in fine form in the recently-concluded series with Australia.

    New Zealand

    Trent Boult

    The left-arm medium pacer is the indisputable leader of the New Zealand pace attack. Now 28-years-old, Boult’s prodigious movement with the ball might be negated in the white-ball format but he still remains a lethal bowler in the conditions.

    With a variety of variations now in his kitty, Boult might be tough to get away for India’s batsmen.

    The pacer was a constant menace to India’s batsmen in the limited-overs series in 2016 where he picked up 16 wickets in the seven matches.

    The early warning signs are already on display for the hosts after Boult captured 5-38 in New Zealand’s first warm-up match against the Board President’s XI.

    Boult was excellent against India in 2016.

    Boult was excellent against India in 2016.

    Tom Latham

    The 25-year-old left-handed batsman made quite an impression against India in the ODI series last time out where he scored 244 runs opening the batting in the five matches.

    He will instead bat in the middle-order for the Kiwis in this series with the additional responsibility of keeping the wicket following Luke Ronchi’s retirement.

    His unbeaten 79 against India in Dharamshala in the first ODI in 2016 remains the only time a Kiwi batsman has carried the bat in the one-day game.

    Latham showed that he is in supreme touch coming into this series after scoring a century in the second-warm up match against the Board President’s XI. His contribution from the middle-order will be vital for the Black Caps who have struggled to build a stable batting line-up in recent times.

    Latham remains the only Kiwi to carry his bat in an ODI.

    Latham remains the only Kiwi to carry his bat in an ODI.

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