India won the toss and elected to field first in the opening One Day International against New Zealand at the Kotambi International Stadium (BCA). The match marks the start of a three-game series.
Major Setback: Pant Ruled Out, Jurel Steps In
The Indian team faced a significant blow just before the series opener. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the entire ODI series due to a right-side strain injury. In his place, the selectors have called up young Dhruv Jurel as his replacement.
All eyes will be on the experienced duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom are in excellent touch in the 50-over format. Kohli, in particular, is approaching several personal milestones and will be eager to make a substantial contribution with the bat.
Captain Gill's Tactical Decision
Explaining the decision to bowl after winning the toss, stand-in captain Shubman Gill highlighted the team's strategy. "We are trying different kinds of combinations to see what suits us best for different conditions, especially in India," Gill said. "Bowling second often comes with the dew challenge, so we want to test what combination works. The wicket looks good, and we hope it will be easier to bat in the second innings."
Gill expressed confidence in the team's preparation, noting that players were coming off matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and were in good form. He confirmed that India has gone in with six bowling options. The spin department will be handled by Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav, while the pace attack comprises Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Harshit Rana.
New Zealand's Inexperienced Challenge
On the other side, New Zealand, led by stand-in skipper Michael Bracewell in Mitchell Santner's absence, is fielding a relatively inexperienced squad. Bracewell mentioned they would have also preferred to bowl but are ready to bat first. "It's a big series for us, a proud moment every time we play for New Zealand," he stated. He pointed out that playing a World Cup in India soon is a big advantage for the team to get used to the conditions.
Bracewell confirmed that Kristian Clarke is making his ODI debut today, and Aditya Ashok will lead the spin attack for the Black Caps.
Playing XIs:
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Adithya Ashok.
