5 hits and misses from the India-New Zealand ODI series

HIT- Tom Latham

The left-hander has been a rock for the Kiwis at the top of the order. The level-headed batsman possesses a confident stride and an eye for finding gaps, attributes that make him a highly effective batsman in the initial overs. While his opening partner, Martin Guptill misfired in both Tests and ODIs, Latham scored the second most number of runs by a batsman from either side.

He consistently gave the Kiwis a good start holding on end and piling up runs. He might not have an aggressive style of play, but can pick and choose his shots, using the sweep to good effect against the spinners, a ploy he used in the Tests as well.

MISS – Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey playing a cross-batted stroke (Image credits: BCCI)

Team India need to groom a finisher, especially with MS Dhoni’s career being in its twilight. Manish Pandey has long been touted as a middle order batsman with the ability to score runs at a quick pace. He doesn't possess a strong technique, but makes it up with amazing hand-eye coordination and an enterprising range of strokes.Yet, the manner in which he threw away quick starts raised serious concerns over his temperament to perform on the biggest stage. A century in Australia earlier this year did raise his stakes, but with a number of youngsters snapping at his heels, he needs a better showing than the 76 runs he managed in 5 innings.