New Zealand vs India, New Zealand vs India 2020, Today Match Prediction 05 Feb 2020

nz vs ind Match Prediction & Analysis

Host New Zealand will be desperate to turn their fortunes around when they take on formidable India in the opening game of one-day series played at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Wednesday.

New Zealand Skipper Kane Williamson will be disappointed with the fact that the side should have won a couple of matches against India in the five-match T20I series. The home side will be looking to deliver a strong performance in this opening game of the one-day series.

On the other hand, India have played phenomenal cricket and managed to inflict a whitewash over New Zealand in the five-match series. Skipper Virat Kohli will be hoping that the can continue their winning streak in this three-match one-day series.

TEAMS PREVIEW

New Zealand Preview

Due to injuries to key bowlers, uncapped pacer Kyle Jamieson has been named in the limited-overs squad for India series. Tom Blundell, Hamish Bennett and Scott Kuggeleijn have been included in the setup for the three-match one-day series. Experienced players like Martin Guptill, Tom Latham and Tim Southee will need to raise their game if New Zealand aims to break their losing streak against India at Hamilton.

In the batting department, the side will be relying on the likes of Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill. Despite his lack of runs in the T20 format, veteran opener Martin Guptill has delivered decent numbers in white-ball cricket for New Zealand. Since Feb 2019, Guptill has accumulated 450 runs in 13 matches at an average of 40.90 with two centuries to his name.  The 33-year old will need to deliver runs for the side in this opening fixture.

Besides Guptill, Skipper Kane Williamson and middle-order batsman Ross Taylor have been bankable performers for the side in one-day cricket. Williamson showed excellent form in the T20I series and accumulated 160 runs in 3 innings at an average of 53.33, whereas Taylor scored 166 runs in 5 innings at an average of 41.50.

Henry Nicholls, Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme will be given the task of produce quick runs at the back end of the innings. Since his return to the one-day side, all-rounder James Neesham has done exceedingly well and accumulated 313 runs in 14 matches at an average of 34.77 with one half-century to his name. With the ball in hand, Neesham has claimed 18 wickets at an average of 22.00.

In the bowling department, the side will be relying on the likes of Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi to make crucial breakthroughs.

New Zealand Predicted Playing XI:

Kane Williamson (captain), Tom Latham (wk), Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson/ Hamish Bennett.

New Zealand Actual Playing XI:

Tom Latham, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Henry Nicholls, Hamish Bennett, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, TA Blundell, James Neesham, TG Southee

India Preview

The visitors have a setback of sorts as vice-captain and opener Rohit Sharma has been ruled out of the ODI series due to a calf injury. Prithvi Shaw is expected to take his place at the top of the innings for the opening game at Hamilton. Rishabh Pant or Sanju Samson also be included in the playing XI for this game.

In the batting department, the side will be relying heavily on Indian captain Virat Kohli, Lokesh Rahul and Shreyas Iyer to deliver the bulk of the runs. Since Jul 2019, Kohli has shown exceptional form with the bat and accumulated 567 runs in 12 matches at an average of 63.00 with two centuries and three half-centuries to his name.

Besides Kohli, Lokesh Rahul has done exceedingly well for the side in white-ball cricket. In 9 matches, Rahul has scored 520 runs at an average of 57.77 with two centuries to his name. He will be looking to continue his purple patch with the bat in this three-match series. Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Shivam Dube will make up the middle-order for the side for this opening game. Pant could take the gloves as Rahul is expected to open the innings for India.

In the bowling department, the side will be relying on Jaspreet Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and Navdeep Saini to make crucial breakthroughs. All-rounder Ravendra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav will two spin options for this game.

India Predicted Playing XI:

Virat Kohli (captain), Rishabh Pant (wk), Lokesh Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Ravendra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaspreet Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Navdeep Saini.

India Actual Playing XI:

Shreyas Iyer, Lokesh Rahul, Kedar Jadhav, Kuldeep Yadav, SN Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, JJ Bumrah, Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

Traditionally, the pitch at Seddon Park provides an exciting contest between bat and ball. The quick bowlers will get some assistance from the surface. The weather forecast for the game to be played on Wednesday is expected to be partly cloudy.

Venue Details

Seddon Park in Hamilton is going to host the opening game of the one-day series between India and New Zealand. The home side will take heart from the fact that they have won their last four one-day matches at this venue. On the other hand, India will be looking to make amends for their poor record at Seddon Park. The visitors have won only one game out of six played against New Zealand at this venue.

Toss: To Bowl

The side that wins the toss would be looking to bowl first on this surface and make early inroads with the new-ball. The last five one-day matches at this venue have been won sides batting second.