Shubman Gill’s side had plenty of positives to take from the opening encounter, particularly the performance of its pace attack. Arshdeep Singh led the wicket-taking charts with four dismissals, while Gurnoor Brar and Anshul Kamboj contributed three and two wickets respectively. New Zealand were dismissed for 185, allowing India to take control of the contest.
The chase was largely shaped by Virat Kohli, whose 74-run innings from just 51 balls helped India reach the revised DLS target of 143 in 22.4 overs. Gill played a supporting role with 37, although the captain will be hoping to spend more time at the crease in the next game.
The home side, meanwhile, must address its batting shortcomings. Its task has become more challenging with Devon Conway unavailable for the rest of the series following a concussion in training. Nick Kelly has been added to the squad as cover.
Individual performances could play a major role in deciding the Wellington encounter. Gill has accumulated 3,701 ODI runs since 2022 at an average of 66.1, while KL Rahul has maintained an average of 63.7 when batting between positions four and six since 2023. Kohli’s ability to attack pull and hook deliveries was another notable feature of the previous game.
Daryl Mitchell, who scored 28 in Auckland, will be among the players New Zealand expect to deliver a bigger contribution.
With India chasing another victory and New Zealand desperate for a response, the Wellington fixture promises to be an important moment in the series. The match begins at 7:30 AM IST.
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