Despite Virat Kohli's valliant effort and Dhoni's late surge, India fell short in the first ODI. Regular wickets did the trick for the underdogs, Mitchell McClenaghan was the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 68 from his ten.
After 48.4 overs India are 268/10: New Zealand beat the No. 1 side in the world by 24 runs to go 1-0 up in the five match ODI series.
After 47.2 overs India are 259/9: Ashwin was entertaining during his brief stay at the crease, he goes for 12 trying to dispatch Williamson only to get caught by Southe.
After 45.1 overs India are 244/8: Bhuvi is runout for six, going for a non-existent single. It's only a question of time before India lose this game now.
After 44.2 overs India are 237/7: Virat Kohli falls after a valiant effort. Kohli's kock of 123 from 111 balls includes 11 boundaries and a couple of sixes. Looks like ths might well be Kohli's first hundred in a losing cause.
After 43 overs India are 224/6: Ravindra Jadeja goes as quickly as he comes, short of a length and this over might have well turned the game on its head.
After 42.3 overs India are 224/5: MS Dhoni is undone by a McClenaghan bouncer, he goes for 40 of 46 balls. As the balls lands safely in Ronchi's gloves after hitting Dhoni's bat.
We get to the business end of the contest with 83 required of the final ten overs. With the two men in the middle it does'nt look out of reach. Dhoni has already hit a couple of those big one's straight over the bowler's head.
After 40 overs India are 210/4: Virat Kohli batting on 104 and Dhoni on 36.
With batsmen at the other end falling like nine pins. Kohli lead the counter-attack single-handedly. His hundred of 94 balls includes ten fours and a six.
Jesse Ryder drops Kohli on 96 who gets his 18th century. Can he make it count and get India home one more time?
India has never lost when Virat Kohli got a century, can he keep that record intact?
If India are to get home these two men need to bat for a few more overs atleast.
After 35 overs India are 162/4: Virat Kohli batting on 78 and Dhoni on 14.
Pujara needs to get a look in if India are to find a solution to their problems against short pitched bowling. Three of the four dismissals are due to poor shot selection against short pitch stuff.
After 30 overs India are 137/4: Virat Kohli batting on 63 and Dhoni on 5.
Indian skipper MS Dhoni joins his deputy Virat in the middle.
After 28.2 overs India are 129/4: Suresh Raina out after scoring 18. Milne lures Raina into a pull shot and Tim Southee takes a well anticipated catch.
The class of Kohli prevails once again for India. Virat gets to his half century with a gentle prod off the pads. Fifty of 58 balls with four 4s and a six.
After 25 overs India are 103/3: Virat kohli batting on 42 and Suresh Raina batting on 10.
New Zealand are without doubt one of the best fielding sides in the world. Suresh Raina comes in at No. 5.
After 21 overs India are 84/3: Ajinkya Rahane departs after scoring 7 runs. Anderson picks up another wicket, a great catch by Nathan McCullum.
After 20 overs India are 80/2: Virat kohli batting on 34 and new man Ajinkya Rahane on 3.
After performing well with the bat, Corey Anderson now gets the important wicket of Shikhar Dhawan. Dhawan was unable to negotiate the steep bounce on this occassion Taylor gets underneath to complete the catch as the ball balloons off the bat.
After 18.1 overs India are 73/2: Shikhar Dhawan departs after making 32 from 46 balls.
Nathan McCullum has been introduced into the attack and starts off with a tidy over giving away just four.
After Sharma's poor outing, Indians have done well to consolidate the innings. Both Kohli and Dhawan have got decent starts.
After 15 overs India are 64/1: Virat Kohli batting on 25 and Shikar Dhawan batting on 29.
Milne has certainly got the pace from what we've seen so far but what else?
Adam Milne is another young exciting quick bowler for New Zealand.
Dhawan does not seem too comfortable with the bounce and is living dangerously at the moment with a difficult chance dropped by Corey Anderson. Virat Kohli though seems at home with the conditions and is batting superbly.
After 10 overs India are 43/1: Virat Kohli batting on 12 and Shikar Dhawan batting on 22.
After 5.2 overs India are 15/1: Rohit Sharma self-destructs again. After making just 3 of 23 balls he falls to McClenaghan trying to hook one over deep fine leg as Southee takes a simple catch.
New Zealand pacers Mitchell McClenaghan and Tim Southee have so far managed to keep Indian openers under wraps. The disciplined bowling has offered no easy picking and Indians are finding it tough to get going.
After 5 overs India are 15/0: Rohit Sharma batting on 3 and Shikar Dhawan batting on 7.
Both the Indian openers, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are out there in the middle. Tim Southee for New Zealand with the new ball.
Coming back lets see how the Indian batting stands up to the New Zealand pace battery.
Helped by a brilliant attack by Corey anderson who scored 68 of just 40 deliveries New Zealand get to a strong total of 292 for 7 from their first innings.
Mohammed Shami has been the pick of the bowlers for India today, just as he was in SA. Concedes just 3 and gets another wicket to finish with 4 wickets from his nine overs.
After 49 overs New Zealand are 284/7: Nathan McCullum has to go after a good sharp return catch from Shami.
After 47.5 overs New Zealand are 279/6: Ronchi departs after making 30 of just 18 balls.
Anderson has hit three boundaries and four sixes so far for 61 with couple of overs to go.
Corey Anderson gets his half-century from just 30 balls will he go for another biggie here? Death Bowling has been a concern fo India for quite some time now.
After 45 overs New Zealand are 256/5: Corey Anderson batting on 42 with Luke Ronchi on 26. Runs coming thick and fast for New Zealand.
First Ishant, now Shami Corey Anderson's reputation is well deserved as he lauches the the ball over the roof on the sqaure leg boundary for the second time today.
This is smart captaincy. Dhoni decides to stand up for Bhuvi and takes a tough sharp catch as the ball looms off McCullum's bat.
After 41.4 overs New Zealand are 213/5: Brendon McCullum, the danger man departs after making 30 from just 25 balls.
Ishant Sharma looks clearly out of sorts here. Last over of batting powerplay goes for 17 runs. With Anderson hitting Ishant over the roof once.
After 40 overs New Zealand are 202/4: Brendon McCullum batting on 28 and Corey Anderson batting on 16.
MSD completes 300 dismissals in ODI cricket. He is the only Indian and 4th in world cricket to achieve that distinction.
Corey Anderson of the fastest century fame joins skipper Brendon McCullum out in the middle.
After 36.2 overs New Zealand are 171/4: Shami strikes again, wide outside off-stump and Taylor having a go at it, manages an outside edge and Dhoni does the rest. Sahmi has taken 3 wickets in 4.2 overs giving away just 16 runs.
After 35 overs New Zealand are 161/3: Ross taylor batting on 52 and Brendon McCullum batting on 6.
After 33 overs New Zealand are 153/3: Kane Williamson departs after a well made 71. Another good knock ends without getting to three figures. A lofted shot and Ajinkya Rahane completes a good catch at silly mid-off. In the past six months Williamson averages over 60 with just one hundred.
A century stand between Williamson and Taylor the duo have done more than damage control. This partnership provides an excellent foundation for the New Zealand big hitters to launch an attack. At the moment the only thing India are doing well is manage to get through the overs quickly.
After 30 overs New Zealand are 136/2: Kane Williamson batting on 62 and Ross taylor batting on 43.
Looks like India in want of genuine pace in these conditions. Dhoni's two spinners strategy has not seemed to work so far.
A well deserved half-century for Kane Williamson and a much needed one for his team. His innings includes five hits to the fence.
After 25 overs New Zealand are 112/2: Kane Williamson batting on 49 and Ross taylor batting on 32.
After 20 overs New Zealand are 90/2: Kane Williamson batting well on 38 and Ross Taylor giving good company on 19.
Kane Williamson getting into the act now. With some calculated risk he is trying to up the ante. Both Taylor and Williamson have spent some time in the middle now.
MSD comes up with an interesting bowling change, to try and rattle the kiwis he brings on Kohli in the 19th over.
After 17 overs New Zealand are 76/2: Kane Williamson getting into the act now. With some calculated risk he is trying to up the ante. Both Taylor and Williamson have spent some time in the middle now.
After 15 overs New Zealand are 60/2: Ross Taylor batting on 15 and Kane Williamson on 25.
After the initial flashes of brilliance from Ryder New Zealand has not really managed to get going. Shami and Bhuvi have done a fine job to pull them back.
After 10 overs New Zealand are 38/2.
In 7.4 overs NZ are 32/2: This time Shami bowls it wide of the off stump and Guptill went for the cut but only manages to get a thick outside edge and Ashwin makes no mistake at first slip.
After 5 Overs New Zealand are 26/1.
In 4 overs NZ are 22/1: Mohammad Shami pitches the ball up and Ryder misses it completely as it disturbs the timber. So India draws first blood as New Zealand loses their first wicket.
Both the New Zealand openers are out there in the middle. Martin Guptill taking strike while Jesse Ryder is on the non-strikers end. Bhuvneshwar Kumar with the new ball for India.
India have won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Here is a look at both the teams:
India: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni*, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma.
New Zealand: BB McCullum*, CJ Anderson, MJ Guptill, MJ McClenaghan, NL McCullum, AF Milne, L Ronchi, JD Ryder, TG Southee, LRPL Taylor, KS Williamson
Match Preview:
Match Preview:
World Cup in mind, India clash with New Zealand in ODI series
Napier: India would look to gain some valuable experience and confidence when they clash with New Zealand in a five-match ODI series, beginning here tomorrow, as Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his boys will begin the defence of their World Cup title on these very shores next year.
The reigning World Champions will also be looking to defend their number one ranking, in this format of the game, against the eighth-ranked hosts.
Unlike their previous tour in December, this trip imparts greater significance to India. Against South Africa, the Indian team management decided to use the three-match series as a learning exercise for the ensuing Test series.
It worked up to an extent against their formidable opponents with their young Test side losing the two-match series only on the last day of the tour at Durban.
While the importance of taking that learning forward in the Tests versus New Zealand cannot be neglected, at the same time, the Men in Blue need to up the ante in ODIs as the run-up to their title defence officially begins.
India will travel to Australia in the latter part of the 2014-15 season, which will be a final dress-rehearsal, and as such this series against the Black Caps is an important marker in their preparation for the World Cup.
The 16-man squad that has arrived here is already a much settled unit, losing only to Pakistan at home and South Africa away in the calendar year 2013, winning six consecutive ODI contests in between.
While this provides a good starting point, there are important questions that need to be answered. The first of them is related to the opening combination, with both Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma not doing much in South Africa, ODIs and Tests combined.
Sharma perhaps has more time, given that he bats in the middle order in the longer format and particularly because on away tours, the role of openers to give a solid start becomes more important.
Murali Vijay performed that bit to perfection in the Tests there, further highlighting Dhawan’s plight, who scored only 88 runs in six innings (avg. 14.66) in Africa.
Even so, the toughest question pertains to the middle order, given that a misfiring Yuvraj Singh is no longer part of this ODI squad.
The number four spot is proving to be a pain ever since this season started against Australia at home. Suresh Raina moved back to this spot in that series but the southpaw himself is struggling for consistency.
Either he needs to draw experience of finishing the innings in these conditions, batting at number five or six, or he needs to learn how to drive the batting from number four, in preparation of the World Cup next year. Doing both is not an option for him or the team management.
At the same time, Raina will also do well to consider Yuvraj's axing as a stern reminder of his own form. Although he continues to be a great resource for the ODI side, with his sharp fielding and bowling skills thrown in, his first job is to score runs and they have only come at a trickle since last October (207 runs in 9 innings, avg. 23).
He will need to watch out for Ambati Rayudu and Stuart Binny who will come into contention at some point in this series. Especially the latter if Raina continues to bat at number five or six, since Binny too is a lower-order batsman.
More importantly, he bowls military medium, which could be an additional usage in these windy and bouncy conditions.
Yuvraj was the team management’s first-option for this role, as seen from his straight comeback from injury in the third ODI versus South Africa at Centurion, at the expense of Ajinkya Rahane who batted at four in the second ODI at Durban.
Perhaps there is a hint in this to assume that the Mumbai batsman, who was in superb touch in Tests there, is a shoe-in to bat at number four tomorrow.
The pace department looks settled for India. Ishant Sharma and Mohammad Shami will look to carry on from where they left off in South Africa, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar getting another look-in. Otherwise there is always Ishwar Pandey and Varun Aaron to contend with.
It looks like India will play five bowlers, though spin is where the real competition is. R Ashwin needs to win back his Test spot from Ravindra Jadeja and while both are expected to feature in the Indian ODI eleven, this could shape up to be a personal duel between them.
For New Zealand too, this series is a good launch-pad to firm up their plans for the future. They have a good base going already, with new players – a healthy mix of ballistic batsmen and good all-rounders – coming through in the preceding West Indies series.
The key for them will be to put India under pressure early on in the series, putting the shorter grounds and windy conditions to good use.
While skipper Brendon McCullum hinted that they might look to play four fast bowlers on Sunday, the Kiwis’ bowling coach Shane Bone was thinking in the longer term. Whilst hosting the World Cup next year, New Zealand will get to play a quarter-final and a semi-final at their home turf, should they make it that far ahead into the tournament.
"We might have to play India in the quarters, or the semis, next year. We too need to size them up and plan ahead," Bond said, ahead of the opening clash of the tour on Sunday.
Teams (From):
New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (capt), Corey Anderson, Martin Guptill, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi (wk), Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson.
India: MS Dhoni (captain & wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Stuart Binny, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishwar Pandey, Varun Aaron, Amit Mishra.
