5 reasons why New Zealand can win the ODI series against India

After being battered 3-0 by India in the recently concluded Test series, New Zealand will be hoping to make amends in the 5-match ODI series which kickstarts with the first game at Dharamsala on 16 October. The Kiwis have fond memories of the venue as they beat Australia in a crucial 2016 World T20 encounter the last time they were here.

Although a whitewash in the longest format is bound to have had a negative impact on the morale of the team, there is no reason why the Blackcaps cannot turn the tables on the hosts in the 50-over format. After all, it is not for nothing that they occupy the 3^rd position in the ICC ODI team rankings, one spot above the Indians.

Let’s take a look at the key reasons why New Zealand can win the ODI series:

#1 Strong batting line-up

The duo of Guptill and Williamson has excelled for New Zealand in ODI cricket

One of the features of New Zealand’s recent success in the ODI format has been their batting strength. The experienced trio of Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor have been particularly impressive with all three batsmen having an average in excess of 40.

Apart from them, the Kiwis also have players like Tom Latham and Luke Ronchi in their ranks who didn’t do too badly in the Test series against India. The addition of left-hander Anton Devcich could prove to be a bonus as he has performed exceptionally well in New Zealand’s domestic limited-overs cricket of late.

With the all-rounders, too, capable of delivering with the bat, the Blackcaps could end up giving some serious headaches to MS Dhoni & Co.