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.
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.
The sour taste of a 10-wicket loss to New Zealand in the first Test was a good lesson for India's cricketers and there is no doubt they will be far more competitive in the second in Christchurch, coach Ravi Shastri said.
The pitch at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium was nothing like we've witnessed at other venues this season of the IPL. It was a two-paced pitch and batting wasn't the easiest.
All-rounder James Neesham has returned to the New Zealand Test squad for their three-Test tour of India.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index after 23 World Cup 2023 games.
Unbeaten in seven Test series since 2013, New Zealand are widely viewed to have their best chance in a good while to secure a second series victory on Australian soil to go with the Richard Hadlee-inspired 1985 triumph.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 3rd Test played between England and New Zealand at Headingley on Sunday.
A look at match-ups that could potentially decide the winner of the ICC World Cup final between India and Australia in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Ishan Kishan has made a massive jump to enter the top 10 among T20 batters.
McClenaghan and Milne last featured in the 50-over format for New Zealand in early 2016 and missed a majority of last year's fixtures through injuries.
'In T20, you only have to bowl 24 balls, which works in our favour, but it's also important to trust your instincts as to which variations can work in which situations.'
Ross Taylor and BJ Watling shared an unbeaten sixth-wicket stand of 220 as New Zealand went to tea in complete command on 543 for five and a lead of 379 on day three of the first Test against Zimbabwe on Saturday.
Sunrisers Hyderabad mentor VVS Laxman pointed out that Ishant's no-ball problem is one of the reasons for his exclusion from the side.
Photos of the World Cup Pool A game between Afghanistan and New Zealand being played in Napier
While multiple-time world champions and Champions Trophy winners Australia are always a tough nut to crack, New Zealand will enter the game at Edgbaston with renewed confidence after their six-wicket warm-up win over Sri Lanka at the same venue.
50 overs cricket is a batsman's game, or so the conventional wisdom goes. But the Champions Trophy is being played in England, which means a different ball game :)
Premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be in focus alongside speedster Mohammed Shami when defending champions India take on New Zealand on Sunday in their opening warm-up game ahead of the Champions Trophy in London.
In the bowling chart, New Zealand pacer Trent Boult (722) held on to his top spot, followed by Bumrah (719).
Fans offered prayers at 'Sangam' in Varanasi and also laid a 'chaadar' at the dargah
Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh drove Australia to within 74 runs of a series-winning victory at the dinner-break in the third and final Test in Adelaide on Sunday after New Zealand's pacemen captured three early wickets.
Agarkar said Team India has always found out ways to emerge victorious even in crunch situations.
Harish Kotian/Rediff.com comes up with a pretty strong playing eleven from the long list of big names warming the benches this IPL season.
Mumbai get the money-spinning tournament rolling in Chennai on Friday, just four months after claiming their second successive title, with a match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, led by India captain Virat Kohli.
New Zealand needed just an extended session to complete an innings and 276-run victory over South Africa in the first Test, at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday, to register their first Test victory over the Proteas in 18 years.
The former India pace spearhead is happy how the team has shaped up in the four games so far, winning two convincingly and losing one to RCB in Super Over and other against CSK in the final over of the match.
India's KL Rahul dropped a place to sixth but Virat Kohli retained his eighth place in the latest ICC men's T20 International rankings issued on Wednesday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index after 29 World Cup 2023 games.
Images from the ICC World Cup match between Australia and New Zealand, in Dharamsala, on Saturday.
'I love batting at No 3 because the situation I go in, I can pace my innings accordingly looking at the situation.'
Kohli (871 points) and his deputy Rohit Sharma (855 points, ranked two) are out of action for some time due to COVID-19 forced break
A battle royale is on the cards when Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans take on the Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals, two line-ups armed with potent bowling units in a top-of-the-table IPL showdown at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Thursday.
Bumrah is considered to be a key player for India.
The IPL is likely to start in the second week of April and its knockout matches may stretch till early June, potentially clashing with New Zealand's first Test in England
New Zealand, on Monday, recalled temperamental all-rounder Corey Anderson for the five-match ODI series against India next month and he will play as a specialist batsman.
India captain Virat Kohli consolidated his position at the top of the table, while openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan moved up in the latest ICC T20I Player Rankings.
New Zealand Cricket has indicated that it may not block its players from fully participating in the upcoming IPL if the knock-out phase matches of the lucrative league clash with the Test series opener in England beginning on June 2.
Kyle Jamieson has the ability to become one of the leading all-rounders in world cricket in days to come, reckons legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
India batter Shreyas Iyer, spinner Yuzvendra Chahal along with Australian dasher David Warner are expected to be the top draws as over 1,200 players registered themselves for the Indian Premier League mega auction scheduled for next month.
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