Virat Kohli. Rohit Sharma.
Those two names alone are enough to draw attention to India’s upcoming ODI series in New Zealand. They are also likely to be a major factor in ticket sales over the next fortnight. The five-match series is being promoted around two of the biggest names in world cricket, and it is not difficult to understand why New Zealand Cricket (NZC) pushed for two additional matches after the original three-ODI schedule.
On paper, the extended series is also an important step in India’s preparations for next year’s ODI World Cup in South Africa. However, a significant part of India’s first-choice squad will be available for only the first three matches.
Shubman Gill, who is expected to lead India at the World Cup, will leave after the third ODI to join the Test squad. KL Rahul will also depart after that game, while Nitish Kumar Reddy will be available only for the opening match. By the fourth ODI, India will have a new captain, a new vice-captain and four additional players in the squad. It is World Cup preparation, but only to an extent.
India’s selectors, however, have a difficult balancing act. Test cricket has become a major concern for the team, particularly as the previous generation of players begins to wind down. New Zealand were the side that exposed India’s vulnerabilities most starkly, handing them a 3-0 whitewash in a home Test series across conditions that offered both seam movement and turn.
In that context, India’s decision to balance ODI preparation with the demands of the upcoming Test assignments is understandable.
“Both [formats] are very important. If it was in my hands, the whole team, if all the players would have been fit, we would have played the entire squad we are planning to take to the World Cup. But the two Test matches are also very important. If the ODIs were scheduled before T20Is, we all could have played all the five ODIs. But right now, the gap between ODIs and Test series is very less, and the WTC scenario has also become very interesting,” Gill said.
New Zealand, meanwhile, will look to build on their recent success against India. They won the three-match ODI series 2-1 in India earlier this year, giving them confidence ahead of the
