New Delhi: India will look to continue their winning ways and double their 1-0 lead against New Zealand, who will try their best to draw parity in the five-match series when the two teams meet in the second one-dayer at the Kotla here on Thursday.
The hosts are high on confidence riding on a 3-0 clean sweep of the visitors in the Test series and a resounding six-wicket victory in the first one-dayer at Dharamsala.
However, despite their forgettable show so far, the mood in the Kiwi camp is positive. “Obviously it hasn’t gone as we would have liked it to. It’s been a tough learning experience in the Test series and a severe defeat in Dharamsala, the other night. Still the mood in the camp is positive and the guys are looking forward to the challenge,” said Kiwi paceman Trent Boult.
New Zealand’s confidence notwithstanding, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men will again look to exploit the loopholes in the visitors’ batting lineup which has been sloppy so far. Understandably, the Kiwi batters need to put in more effort to put pressure on the hosts.
“If we get more runs on the board, we can put pressure on a good Indian side. I am not going to single anyone out in terms of performance, but they should contribute with the bat, bowl and in the field,” stressed Boult.
There are injury worries as well for the Kiwis as Boult himself sat out in the first match owing to an ankle injury and may take some more time to be fit.
On the other hand, everything India are trying is turning to gold. In the first match, Dhoni handed the new ball to debutant all-rounder Hardik Pandya and he won the man of the match award claiming three wickets. Also, part-time spinner Kedar Jadhav accounted for two Kiwi batsmen in just the three overs he bowled.
Ace batsman Virat Kohli is always a threat to the opposition and is in red-hot form. A win cannot come New Zealand’s way without getting Kohli out cheaply. Dhoni, in all probability, may stick with the two specialist spinners in Akshar Patel and Amit Mishra.
The Kotla wicket has traditionally helped spinners than the pacers and that will give New Zealand more reasons to worry. However, India head coach Anil Kumble believes that the Kotla pitch may support batsmen. “It’s a good one-day wicket and looks to be good for batting,” he said. Also keeping in mind this time of the year in the capital, the dew factor might also come into play.
