In a strategic move at the start of the three-match series, the Indian cricket team won the crucial toss and elected to bowl first against New Zealand in the opening One Day International. The match is being played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, January 18.
Captain's Call and Team Strategy
Stand-in Indian captain Shikhar Dhawan made the decision to field after calling correctly at the toss. This choice is often influenced by pitch conditions and the potential for dew to play a factor later in the evening, which could make bowling second more challenging. Dhawan leads a side missing several first-choice players who are currently engaged in a different series.
New Zealand's skipper, Tom Latham, who is also leading in the absence of regular captain Kane Williamson, stated he would have made the same choice to bowl first. He expressed confidence in his team's ability to set a competitive total.
Playing Elevens and Key Absences
The Indian team has made one notable change to its lineup. Fast bowler Shardul Thakur has been included in the playing eleven, replacing the injured Deepak Chahar. This alteration brings an all-round option into the Indian bowling attack.
The confirmed playing elevens are as follows:
India: Shubman Gill, Shikhar Dhawan (c), Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik.
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (c & wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley, Lockie Ferguson, Blair Tickner.
Context of the Series and Conditions
This series marks the beginning of a new ODI cycle for both teams as they build towards the next Cricket World Cup. The match in Hyderabad is the first of three encounters, with subsequent games scheduled for Raipur and Indore.
The pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium is traditionally known to be good for batting, but the captain's decision to field suggests there might be something in it for the bowlers early on, or the team is factoring in the dew. The performance of India's young pace attack, featuring Umran Malik and Mohammed Siraj, will be closely watched against a strong New Zealand batting order.
With the toss going India's way, the onus is now on the bowlers to make early inroads and restrict the Black Caps to a manageable total, setting the stage for the Indian batters to chase under lights.
