New Zealand vs India 2019: India are proving they are the real deal by demolishing a competent Kiwi side
Look out, England. India are coming.
New Zealand are far from easy-beats. But that's how India are making them look.
In the 50-over format - especially at home - the Black Caps are a formidable side. In December 2017, they easily accounted for the West Indies. Trent Boult was devastating and economical with the ball, taking twice as many wickets as any other bowler in the three-match series. Ross Taylor showed his white-ball class, smashing 153 runs across three matches, being dismissed only once.
Pakistan, who are presently ranked 5th in ODIs, were the next to fall in New Zealand. The Kiwis comprehensively dismantled the touring Pakistani side, winning 5-0 and rarely breaking a sweat.
Showing the depth of class in their batting, Martin Guptill and the dominant Kane Williamson joined their partner-in-crime, Ross Taylor, in laying waste to the visitors. Guptill notched up 310 runs across the five matches, Williamson scored 261, whilst Taylor and Colin Munro accumulated over 150 each, with the latter showing his destructive stroke-making.
Again, Trent Boult did the job with the ball. Across only 4 matches, he took a total of 9 wickets for 179 runs.
The real test came in early 2018, when the number 1 ranked side - England - came to play at Fortress New Zealand. It was a gripping five-match series.
The English emerged the victors, but not by much. The first ODI went down to the last over, with the Black Caps winning. Taylor's stellar 113 off 116 balls set up a thrilling run chase.
The English fought back viciously in the next outing. Aside from Guptill and Mitchell Santner, the Black Caps struggled to a total of 223. The English had too much firepower - Johnny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler chased down the target with ease.
Recognizing that the third ODI was crucial to win and nudge ahead in the series, both teams dug deep. The New Zealanders would have been happy with bowling the English out for 234. However, even with Kane Williamson's 112 off 143, the Black Caps fell painstakingly short, compiling 8/230 in their failed chase.
But they were not done with yet. They took it down to the wire. Batting first, England would have been happy with their mammoth total of 9/335. Bairstow and Joe Root both notched up hundreds at better than a run-a-ball.
But the Black Caps weren't done yet.
Ross Taylor's incredible 181* off of 147, ably assisted by the captain, Kane Williamson (45) and Tom Latham (71), saw the home side rein in the total with three balls to spare.
In the last match, the home side were knocked over for just 223. The English, courtesy of a 155-run opening stand between Bairstow (104 off 60) and Alex Hales (61 off 74), surpassed the total with ease.
Make no mistake about it, that series was as close as you can get. The English were expected to walk away as easy victors, and instead returned home with question marks hovering over their previously unquestionable ODI team.
The next ODI series played at their island fortress saw the New Zealanders proceeded to dispatch Sri Lanka 3-0. The Sri Lankans never came close. Taylor was again unstoppable with the bat, recording 281 runs at an average of 93.66.
But now, three matches in, India have already dispensed with their five-match series in New Zealand. Where the English had only just prevailed, India now have a stranglehold over the trophy, with only two dead rubbers left to play.
India's bowlers must be given the credit for this.
In the first ODI, Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav combined to roll the home side for a total of 157. Only the captain Williamson (64) gave a whimper. India then put on a clinic with the bat, getting the runs for the loss of only two wickets.
The second ODI showcased the prowess of India's batting. The tourists piled on 4/324, with every single dismissed Indian batsman scoring above 40. In response, the Black Caps' efforts were futile. They were all out for 234 runs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar did the damage with the new ball, claiming two scalps. Kuldeep Yadav continued to trouble all comers with his left-arm wrist spin, snaring 4/45 off of his allotted 10 overs.
In the third ODI, with everything on the line, Ross Taylor and Tom Latham stood up. Taylor recorded 93 runs off of 106 balls, while Latham chipped in with a half-century. But the Indian bowlers expertly managed to contain them even when they looked like getting off the chain, and targeted other batsmen well, depriving the 'set' batsmen of the strike.
Highlighting the depth of India's white-ball bowling stocks, the wickets were shared around. If one were to select a front-runner, it would have been Shami, who reeled in 3/41 and took the crucial wicket of Taylor.
And just like that, India have dispensed with New Zealand. At home.
Not so long ago, the New Zealand batting lineup - Taylor, Williamson, Guptill, Latham - wreaked havoc upon the English. The highest ranked ODI side in the world was made, at times, to look helpless by the Kiwi batsmen.
But with seemingly just a click of their fingers, India's bowling attack - Kumar, Kuldeep, Shami, Chahal, Pandya, have nullified the batting lineup which threatened to undo the English.
Meanwhile, the Indian batting trio of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have blunted the usually tidy attack led by Trent Boult.
The visitors are at the top of their game, and the 2019 World Cup could very well cement India's ascent to the No. 1 ICC One Day International ranking.
India are beginning to dominate away from home. This is a warning shot for the World Cup hosts.