What can we expect in the second India-NZ ODI?

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    Even though there was widespread belief of a much more even contest in the ODI series, New Zealand meekly surrendered in the first ODI after a stunning batting collapse. The second match might as well be a whole new ball-game with the visitors attempting to make a mark in a tour that has been disappointing for them so far.

    India, on the other hand, would look to continue their total domination and consolidate their position by taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

    Here are five things to look forward to in the second India-New Zealand ODI:

    CAN HARDIK PANDYA BE CONSISTENT?

    Ever since Irfan Pathan faded away from the limelight, the Indian team have been keenly searching for their next genuine all-rounder. The emergence of Ravichandran Ashwin as a bowling all-rounder in Tests now allows Virat Kohli the added luxury of playing the extra bowler if he wants to.

    A genuine fast bowling all-rounder in ODIs would be invaluable to the team right now. Hence, Hardik Pandya’s good performance with the new ball as he picked up three wickets in the first ODI was a very heartening sign for MS Dhoni.

    Pandya has already shown his prowess for big-hitting in T20 cricket. The decision to throw him the new ball on his ODI debut shows that he is being groomed as a possible bowling all-rounder.

    Pandya, however, has been too erratic with his line and length in the past. The second ODI will prove to be an even bigger test for the young Pandya as the onus is on him to prove that he can perform consistently with the new ball.

    RAHANE NEED TO CONSOLIDATE HIS ODI SPOT

    Over the years, Ajinkya Rahane has grown from strength to strength and established himself as a vital member of the Indian squad in Test cricket. However, his performances in ODIs have not justified his talent as he has not been able to recreate the form he enjoys in the longer version of the game.

    In fact, under MS Dhoni’s captaincy, Rahane has spent a considerable amount of time outside the team warming the benches. His performances in the recent Test series against the Kiwis have proved that he is too good a player to be left out of the ODI team.

    Rahane needs to perform in this series to establish himself as a permanent member of the ODI team. The second ODI in Delhi might just be the start of it.

    BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR JADHAV

    One of the unluckiest cricketers in the current Indian team is Kedar Jadhav. Jadhav, who has scored tons of runs in domestic cricket, has struggled to get chances at the international level.

    Kedar Jadhav's List A Record

    • Matches: 87
    • Runs: 3203
    • Average: 49.27
    • Strike Rate: 104.16

    Even though no one has forgotten his fabulous century against Zimbabwe in 2015, Jadhav was dropped soon after and has got very few opportunities since then.

    Dhoni showed his penchant for out-of-the-box decisions in the first ODI by calling on Jadhav to bowl and the latter obliged incredibly with two quick wickets. If the pitch offers some spin, Dhoni will be tempted to throw the ball to Jadhav once again.

    More importantly, though, Jadhav can be a great asset as a batsman down the order and he will be hungry for runs to cement his place in the side.

    WILLIAMSON NEEDS TO FIRE

    No one can deny that Kane Williamson is one of the best batsmen in the world right now. The Indian tour of New Zealand was touted as a battle between two of the finest batsmen of this generation in Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson.

    At this moment, the Indian Test skipper seems to be winning the duel with the latter having done very little on this tour. Williamson would want to take more responsibility and score big to give his team a chance in Delhi.

    After their disappointing performance in the first ODI, a turnaround is very much on the cards given the fact that the Kiwis can boast of being a talented ODI outfit. A spirited batting display from them, led by their skipper, would be something to watch out for in the second ODI.

    WILL KOHLI-DHONI GET A SHOT TOGETHER?

    Virat Kohli has been in sublime form over the last year, scoring runs for fun. India’s ODI skipper MS Dhoni has been struggling on the other hand, with experts backing him to bat higher up the order and to spend more time out in the middle.

    Dhoni seems to have settled for the number five slot for now and it is a well known fact that Kohli and Dhoni love to bat together. They are especially brilliant in partnerships when they are chasing a big total.

    A Kohli-Dhoni partnership seemed to be blossoming in the first ODI as the latter looked to be in decent touch and striking the ball well. A misjudgement from Kohli, however, saw the end of Dhoni’s innings prematurely.

    The second ODI might gift us a good partnership from the duo with many expecting Kohli to continue his tremendous form and Dhoni to answer his critics with a good score.

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