India vs New Zealand: 5 players to watch out for in the ODI series

The stage is perfectly set for the ODI feast to begin at the scenic Dharamshala on October 16. India and New Zealand are set to play 5 ODIs, in what promises to be a cracking series, between these two heavyweights.

The Indian side led by the cool-headed Mahendra Singh Dhoni has his work cut out as they take on the young and vibrant Kiwis. The Indian skipper is straight away under the pump to prove a point, as the last series victory for them came in 2014 against England.

Also, India will lose some of its experienced players in the bowling department who have been given a rest after a hard toil in the Test series, which makes the situation even more tedious. On the contrary, the New Zealand side has opted for the right mix of exuberant youth and some experienced individuals.

The visitors too, have a few vulnerable cricketers in their side with the likes of Martin Guptill and Corey Anderson struggling for form.

New Zealand after losing the Test series 3-0, will be hoping to put up a better performance in the ODI series. Below we dissect the five players to watch out for in the upcoming ODI series.

#1 Manish Pandey

How can one forget his heroics in Sydney earlier this year, which secured India a famous win? With an average of 92.50 in 7 matches, the right-hand batsman is off to a rollicking start to his international career.

The elegant middle order batsman will be looking to carry the momentum and cement his place in the Indian side permanently. Pandey brings a lot to the table as he is lively in the field as well and is probably one of the best fielders in the world at the moment.

After a splendid outing against the Australia A side where he accumulated 267 runs, the 27-year-old has rightly earned his place in the Indian side. Pandey is one batsman who plays both spin and pace with ease and once he gets settled one can expect him to score big on wickets which are conducive to batting.

#2 Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina is back but will miss the first ODI due to illness

The swashbuckling batsman is back in Indian colours after playing his last game for India against South Africa in 2015. Often called as the “man with a golden arm” Raina brings a lot to the Indian side with his all-round cricketing skills. The left-hander is a sheer delight to watch as his cricketing shots are so pure and a complete treat to the eyes.

The 29-year-old had a decent stint with India Green where he scored a couple of half-centuries and has been in good touch.

Suresh Raina can be used as India’s trump card as he is capable of breaking partnerships during the middle overs and can finish off the innings with a flourish. His strike rate of 93.76 says the story, as once he gets settled the left-hander can decimate the opponents. After being out of the Indian side for almost a year, Raina would be looking to prove a point and make his return a memorable one.

The 29-year-old will, however, miss the first ODI after succumbing to a viral fever.

#3 Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya could be India’s next big all-rounder

Indians get startled when they hear the term “fast bowling all-rounder” and rightly so. It’s been ages since India witnessed a strong fast bowling all-rounder in the ODI setup. The tall guy from Baroda made his mark in the IPL where he played for the Mumbai Indians and produced some stellar performance with both bat and ball.

His performances in the IPL earned him a spot in the Indian T20 side where the youngster impressed everyone during the tour of Australia early on this year. Pandya continued his good run in the T20 World Cup as well. In 16 matches Pandya scalped 15 victims at an economy of 8.08 which is decent by T20 standards. However, his batting has been less effective so far scoring 78 runs in the 16 matches he appeared in.

His best is yet to come, considering how clean he strikes the cricket ball.

Hardik Pandya has been called up for the ODI series against New Zealand where he might make his debut. If Pandya has a good series against the Kiwis, it will be a huge boost for the Indian side.

#4 Martin Guptill

Guptill struggled in the Tests but will be looking to find some form in the shorter format

The flamboyant Kiwi batsman is surely one of the best opening batsman in the world along with the likes of Rohit Sharma, David Warner and Hashim Amla. The right-handed batsman hasn’t looked back since the World Cup in 2015. Although he has struggled in the longest format, he has been remarkable in the ODIs.

The reason he has been successful in the ODI format is that he is allowed to express himself and play his natural game.

Guptill has aggregated 536 runs in the 18 matches he played against India with a high score of 111 and a decent average of 33.50. Guptill’s career would be elevated to another level if he has a great series against India.

Despite the fact that the 30-year-old has suffered a slight slump in form recently in the Test series, he would be eyeing to start the ODI series on a positive note.

#5 Corey Anderson

Anderson’s big hitting abilities will make a huge difference in the series

Powerful with the bat and clever with the ball, Corey Anderson has come a long way and has been a prominent member of the New Zealand side across all the formats ever since he made his debut. The 25-year-old has gained immense experience in his short international career.

Anderson scores important runs during the end of an innings and also bowls some tidy overs in the toughest phases of the game.

Corey Anderson’s last appearance came against England during the T20 World Cup and he has been left out of the side since then. Returning to the side now, the Kiwi all-rounder will be looking to make early inroads and execute his plans to perfection. However, things aren’t going to be easy on his return as he needs to get acclimatized to the conditions very early.

Having a significant IPL experience would help his cause and one can expect the strong all-rounder to be back to his roaring best.