This is the first international match at the newly constructed Shahid Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. This stadium has the facility of 60 thousand spectators to watch the match live.
KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan are not playing in this series. With this, the team management wants Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav to show their strength in the middle order. The board hopes to use both of them as back-up in the World Cup. Surya, who is performing brilliantly in T20s, is not able to show the same style of performance in ODIs. It might take him some time to adjust to the format change.
Except Shubman Gill, none of the other batsmen could even score a half century in the first ODI. Although Rohit is giving good starts, he is unable to turn them into huge scores. Fans want hit man to score big in Raipur ODI. Gill, who scored 116 runs in the last ODI against Sri Lanka, scored 208 runs in Hyderabad ODI and is on a good momentum. The management wants Gill to show similar style of play. Virat Kohli, who scored 3 centuries in four ODIs, was dismissed early in the first ODI against the Kiwis. If he swings the bat again in the second ODI, India is sure to make a huge score.
And when it comes to Hardik Pandya… he needs to show a more mature playing style in ODIs. As an all-rounder, he has to play a key role in the team’s success.
In the first ODI, New Zealand lost 6 wickets for 131 runs. The Indian bowlers, who had bowled better till then, relaxed after that. Braswell lost his rhythm. The management wants the bowlers not to make such mistakes in the second ODI. If Umran Malik is played in the second ODI instead of Shardul Thakur, who played in the first ODI, it is likely to have an impact on the batting department. Shardul can make useful runs in the lower order.
When it comes to New Zealand.. Michael Braswell scored 140 runs in 78 balls in the first ODI and almost won their team. Keeping the future in mind, the Kiwis selectors are giving chances to Finn Allen instead of Martin Guptill. Although Allen is giving good starts, he is unable to convert them into big scores. There is a possibility that the New Zealand team will enter the ring with the same team that they played in the first ODI. It remains to be seen whether Ish Sodhi, who is suffering from a heel injury, has recovered.
Indian Team Prediction: Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wicket keeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj.
New Zealand Team Prediction: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Darrell Mitchell, Tom Latham (captain, wicketkeeper), Glenn Phillips, Michael Braswell, Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley/Dau Braswell, Lockie Ferguson, Blair Tickner.
