Rajneesh Gupta presents the numbers on the India and New Zealand teams and players.
'376 was always tough (to chase) but the bowlers fought throughout and that's something we can take to Indore. Hopefully, we can play some fear-free cricket to put India under pressure'
After the gruelling league phase of the ongoing IPL, the stage is set for the play-offs with CSK and MI clashing against each other for a place in May 12 final.
Trent Boult top the most valuable players list with Mohammed Shami hold on to second position
With the three-match T20I series ahead and also the World Cup round the corner, India will have to address this weakness to ensure that their much-vaunted batting doesn't crumble on an odd day when the condition aids swing bowling in England.
New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor has returned to side after recovering from eye surgery in late November and will rejoin the Test team for their two-match series against Bangladesh. Taylor had surgery to remove a pterygium, or growth, on his left eye that had affected his vision after the second Test victory against Pakistan in Hamilton. "It's great to have Ross back," New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said in a statement on Thursday. "He has a phenomenal record that speaks for itself and he's coming off a terrific hundred in his last Test.
India are yet to finalise their middle-order ahead of the World Cup but are unlikely to tinker much with the playing eleven for Friday's second ODI in Mount Maunganui.
Neil Wagner claimed a five-wicket haul from a fiery spell of fast bowling as New Zealand reduced hosts Zimbabwe to 120 for eight at tea on day one of the first Test at Queen's Sports Club on Thursday.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's uncharacteristic outburst against a controversial umpiring decision led to the Chennai Super Kings captain being fined 50 percent of his match fee in Thursday night's Indian Premier League match in Jaipur.
Kuldeep Yadav picked up four wickets, while Shikhar Dhawan hit an unbeaten half-century to power India to a crushing eight-wicket victory against New Zealand in the first ODI.
CSK coach Stephen Fleming differed with Gautam Gambhir's viewpoint that one can't say Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the same breath, as India's captain has not won the tournament.
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland believes there will be more day-night Tests in the future
England's sporting global ambitions have never been fully realised since Sir Alf Ramsey's team won the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Whether it is Gary Linekar or Hary Kane, the 'Cup' that they desperately want never came home during the last five and half decades.
Faf du Plessis made a successful review of an lbw decision against him before guiding South Africa to a series-clinching six-wicket victory in the fifth and final One-dayer against New Zealand at Eden Park on Saturday.
To India's comfort, New Zealand's tournament has gone on a downward spiral during their last three games but their initial good work helped them beat Pakistan to a last four spot.
New Zealand's bowlers steadily chipped away at the West Indies lineup to record a ruthless 240-run victory shortly before tea on the fourth day of the second Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Tuesday to wrap up a 2-0 series sweep.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and coach, Mike Hesson, opined that it will be a "bit of scrap" for the batsmen to face Ravichandran Ashwin & Co. while their own spinners need to adapt quickly to the SG Test from kookaburra ball.
Colin Munro blasted a quickfire half-century as New Zealand pipped India by four runs in a high-scoring thriller to win the three-match T20 International 2-1, in Hamilton, on Sunday.
Former wicketkeeper Brad Haddin says Australia missed the experience and skills of senior spinner Nathan Lyon during their unsuccessful World T20 campaign in India. Lyon was kept out in favour of young spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar, while allrounder Glenn Maxwell also chipped in with his part-timers. Rookie leg-spinner Zampa was a revelation for the Aussies, claiming five wickets in four matches in the tournament. But Australia's other spin options were used sparingly throughout the tournament; Agar bowled just one over in his only match against New Zealand, which went for 18, while Maxwell sent down eight overs in four matches, taking two wickets and conceding 7.6 runs an over. Australia suffered defeats to New Zealand and hosts India to be knocked out in the group stage and on wickets the supported spin bowling, Haddin says Lyon was sorely missed.
A first T20 series victory in New Zealand will be the icing on the cake for the Men in Blue, who have far exceeded expectations during their three-month sojourn in this part of the world.
Rohit Sharma-led squad will be hoping it has enough left in the tank to record a maiden T20 series win in New Zealand
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Chennai Super Kings vs KKR in Kolkata on Sunday.
Shikhar Dhawan's injury has unintentionally forced India to go for a tactical rejig despite convincing victories in the first two games against South Africa and Australia.
One of the primary focus of Monday's encounter could be the inclusion of Indian cricket's latest enfant terrible Hardik Pandya, who is coming back from provisional suspension for his loose talk on a TV chat show.
The Indian team is still searching for the right middle-order combination with the World Cup just a few months away.
Injured New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor will test his fitness ahead of next month's World Twenty20 tournament in India when he plays in an 'Island of Origin' match next week.
Tom Latham and Jeet Raval weathered an intense examination for over 25 overs to guide New Zealand to 67 without loss at the close of the rain-affected second day of the third Test against South Africa at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Sunday.
New Zealand pacemen Trent Boult and Grant Elliott shared seven wickets as the hosts bundled out Pakistan for 210 to win the first one-day international at the pacy Basin Reserve by 70 runs on Monday.
Mumbai Indians have won three out of the four IPL finals they have been part of, including the two against CSK in 2013 and 2015.
South Africa were 224 for six at the close of play in a chilly Dunedin with a lead of 191 runs entering the final day on a pitch that is turning but offering little assistance for the pace bowlers and is proving difficult to score from.
New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has criticised his players' decision-making in India after the one-day side were thrashed in the final match of the tour.
New Zealand and Bangladesh enter their final group match of the ICC Champions Trophy, in Cardiff, on Friday, with the knowledge that even a win may not be enough to see either of them into the semi-finals.
Images from the first T20 International between India and New Zealand in Wellington on Wednesday.
Virat Kohli, on Monday, returned to the top of the International Cricket Council ODI rankings for batsmen after logging career-high rating points, going past the iconic Sachin Tendulkar in the process.
"The ebbs and flows of the game made it such a good one for the spectators. It was just unfortunate we came out on the other side of it."
Riding on Rohit Sharma's fluent 82, India emerged stronger in the battle of attrition against a gritty New Zealand to take complete control of the second cricket Test by grabbing a 339-run lead, on day three of the second Test at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
The Indian fans could get a glimpse of the immensely talented Shubman Gill in the senior team jersey if he is chosen to replace Virat Kohli for Thursday's fourth ODI against New Zealand.
A formidable Indian cricket team is likely to revel in home conditions, as they prepare to host and dominate New Zealand in the first Test in Kanpur, from Thursday, heralding the beginning of a long 13-match home season.
Sean Williams scored a maiden Test century in vain as New Zealand clinched a comprehensive innings and 117-run victory over hosts Zimbabwe on day four of the first Test in Bulawayo, on Sunday.
Demoralised Bangladesh will look to end their campaign on a high when they face a rampaging New Zealand.
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