The first match of the three-match ODI series between India and New Zealand took place on January 11 (Sunday) at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara. Indian captain Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bowl first, which meant the Kiwi team had to bat first.
Fans were keenly watching the playing XI of both teams for this encounter. The Indian team fielded four specialist batters, one wicketkeeper, two spin-bowling all-rounders, one specialist spinner, and three seam bowlers. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh did not get a chance to play in this match. Additionally, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, and wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel remained on the bench.
Meanwhile, for New Zealand, right-arm fast bowler Kristian Clarke made his One Day International debut. Leg-spinner Adithya Ashok, of Indian origin, also found a place in the Kiwi playing eleven. Ashok was born in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, but his family moved to New Zealand when he was four years old.
What Shubman Gill Said?
Indian captain Shubman Gill, after winning the toss, remarked, ‘When you bowl in the second inning in India, dew becomes a substantial challenge. We want to determine which combination works best for us. The pitch looks good, and we expect batting with the new ball in the second innings to be slightly easier. With this in mind, we've chosen to bowl first. Most players have recently played domestic cricket, so they’re all in fine form. Having played a lot of cricket together, the dressing room ambiance is always calm and positive.’
New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell mentioned that while the pitch looked good, they would have preferred to bowl first as well. He commented that New Zealand has been in India for a while, which greatly benefits them in understanding Indian conditions ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Michael Bracewell stated, ‘We’ve been here for a few days, and that’s a significant advantage for us. Playing in India is a crucial experience before the World Cup. Representing New Zealand is always a moment of pride. We’re all excited about this series. Playing in India is always spectacular. The support, the crowd, and the atmosphere inject unique energy into the players. There are some new faces in the team, but we’re also banking on the experience of seasoned players.’
New Zealand's Playing Eleven:
Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay (wicketkeeper), Michael Bracewell (captain), Jachary Faukes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, and Adithya Ashok.
India's Playing Eleven:
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna.
