Having leveled the series 2-2 after winning the fourth ODI of the five-match series against India in Ranchi, the Blackcaps will now aim for their first ever ODI series win in India. The series decider scheduled to be held at Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam will also be an important match for MS Dhoni to prove his form as a captain ahead of the Champions Trophy.
The Indian fans have witnessed a very different One-Day International series this season with both the teams winning alternative matches to level the series 2-2. The series decider in Vizag will also act as a true test for the young Indian cricket team, to prove its potential.
When we critically examine the ongoing ODI series, we can observe a most common thing i.e, no team has been successful in crossing the 300 mark. This explains the probability of bowlers winning the matches for their team. Also, we cannot rule out the role played by pitches in each match of the ODI series, credit to the curators for rolling competitive tracks, unlike the previous home series which often ended with a controversial debate on home-advantage.
For New Zealand, this Saturday will be one of those historic days as it gears up to win its first ever ODI series in India. According to Sunil Gavaskar, both India and New Zealand have an equal chance to win this series. He said that New Zealand will have to sustain the pressure a bit more than the Indian team to post their first ODI series win in India.
“Personally for me, this will be a mouth-watering match. You cannot expect anything better than this dramatic situation, where each team is equally dangerous to spoil the other team’s dream”, Sunil said. “For Kiwis, the top and the middle-order batsmen will have to fire along with the bowlers to seal the series”, he advised.
Gavaskar also warned India over the easy attitude of the young players while chasing totals below270. He advised the young Indian team to refrain from taking small totals for granted. “I have noticed the body language of the Indian team when they were chasing totals less than 270. I can understand it as a former cricketer. We tend to overlook the target and deem it as an easy one. But, the reality is different. A lot of factors like pitch, weather and dew will influence the outcome of the game. I think it is the responsibility of the seniors to teach the young players on this particular way of approaching a chase”, he concluded.
India will take on New Zealand at Vizag on 29 October, 13.30 IST or 08.00 GMT
