IND vs NZ 2022-23, 2nd ODI: India considers bowling option between Thakur and Malik ahead of Raipur debut

India will expect more runs from the middle order and discipline in the death overs as they look for a series-sealing win against New Zealand in the second One-Day International (ODI) at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur on Saturday. With the city hosting its first-ever international game, a sell-out crowd of 60,000 plus is expected to cheer the home team. After being down and out at 131/6, New Zealand was allowed to score another 206 runs in the chase of 350, which should worry India. The visitors looked like they were getting a remarkable come-from-behind win, but the individual brilliance of pacer Mohammed Siraj stopped them.

With the bat, young opener Shubman Gill, who scored a scintillating double century, had singlehandedly taken India to a competitive total with the others falling by the wayside. Former Indian skipper and top-order batter Virat Kohli's effort had stood out in the previous game against Sri Lanka. All-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has not been at his belligerent best of late, will be expected to give a final flourish to the innings.

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Accommodated in the middle-order following his double-hundred performance in Bangladesh, young wicketkeeper-opener Ishan Kishan would be itching to make the most of the opportunity after an off-day in Hyderabad. Skipper-cum-opener Rohit Sharma has looked good and got starts but has not been able to convert, and Saturday could be his day.

However, more significant concerns lie in the bowling department after the hiding the bowlers got from Michael Bracewell, who put the Indian attack to the sword on Wednesday. India brought pacer Shardul Thakur into the team at the expense of the super-quick Umran Malik, considering his batting abilities. But, the management needs to decide quickly if it wants a bowler who can bat or a specialist who can rattle the opposition with extra pace and get wickets in the middle overs.

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Siraj has developed into an all-phase bowler, but others need to step up. Senior seamer Mohammad Shami was brilliant with the new ball but was taken to the cleaners by Bracewell. Hardik, too, was expensive. Washington Sundar had a game to forget in the spin department, while chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav continued his impressive run. The team can also play Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep together, but it has stuck to one wrist-spinner and one finger spinner policy.

New Zealand's never-say-die spirit came to the fore in the series opener, and it would take a lot of heart from that. It won't be a regular occurrence that a number seven in Bracewell and eight in orthodox spinner Mitchell Santner will bring back the team from a hopeless situation.

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Finn Allen played some bold strokes but could not make it big. And in the absence of Kane Williamson, New Zealand need someone to anchor the innings. The pace trio of Henry Shipley, Lockie Ferguson and Blair Tickner will be looking for more accuracy after being mercilessly attacked by Gill. It remains to be seen if Ish Sodhi regains full fitness for the must-win game for his team.

Squads
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj and Umran Malik.
New Zealand: Tom Latham (c & wk), Finn Allen (wk), Doug Bracewell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wk), Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips (wk), Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi and Blair Tickner.

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Match details
Date and day: January 21, 2023 (Saturday)
Venue: Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, Raipur
Time: 1.30 PM (IST)
Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1 and other Star Sports regional language channels - Also available in HD
Where to watch (Online): Hotstar

(With inputs from PTI)