Kanpur: India would like to continue with the momentum they achieved in Pune when they take on New Zealand in the ODI series-decider at the Green Park Stadium here, which will host its first match under lights, Sunday.
After losing the first game of the series, the Indians came back in emphatic fashion in the second one at Pune to set up an exciting finale. And going by the form of both the sides, a prediction would be foolhardy, even though being the hosts, the Indians start as slight favourites. If they win it will be the seventh successive ODI series win for them.
However, that advantage can well be nullified as the Indians do not have a good record at the ground in the recent past. Two years back, when Green Park hosted the South Africa game, India lost by five runs. In January this year, England beat India in a T20 game.
It is the cooler conditions here that make the game an interesting affair as the ball will tend to swing as long as the shine remains. Also the dew factor will play an important role, for the side fielding second, it will be a bit difficult to grip the wet ball. So the toss can go a long way in deciding the course of the match.
India would definitely like ‘hitman’ Rohit Sharma to strike some form with the bat in this crucial game. He has so far scored seven and 20 in the two games that he has played and India would like him to come to the party along with Shikhar Dhawan, who got a half century in the last game.
It remains to be seen however, whether Kohli brings back chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav as this is his home ground. Kuldeep did not have a good game at Mumbai and hence was replaced by Axar Patel for the Pune match. But then knowing Kohli he rarely tinkers with a winning combination and hence Kuldeep may have to warm the chair.
The worry for New Zealand has been the form of the top three – especially skipper Kane Williamson. The Kiwis would certainly want him to fire as this is the most crucial game of the series. Also there fourth and fifth bowlers have been a cause for worry and have gone for runs. If they can find solutions to these issues, they certainly have the prowess to give India a good run for their money.
Kohli, Patel, Rohit, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya stayed away from the nets here Saturday as it was a day for optional training for the Indians. The Kiwis on the other hand had an extensive session at the Green Park.
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