"A weak team has come" - Aakash Chopra on New Zealand's squad for ODI series vs India
Aakash Chopra has highlighted that New Zealand are fielding a considerably weakened squad in the upcoming ODI series against India.
The two sides will lock horns in three ODIs, with the first game to be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, January 18. Tom Latham will lead the relatively inexperienced 15-member Kiwi squad, with the likes of Kane Williamson, Tim Southee and Trent Boult missing.
While previewing the first ODI in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that the visitors are a weak unit, reasoning:
"Latham is the captain of the opposition team. In the last series, Tim Southee was the captain and he has also not come this time. In my opinion, a weak team has come. Trent Boult is not there, he is playing ILT20. Southee and Kane Williamson are not there, they are resting."
Chopra expects Devon Conway and Tom Latham to be the star performers with the bat for the Black Caps, elaborating:
"I didn't feel that it was a very strong team in any case and it has become even weaker. New Zealand's story is that their batting will revolve around Devon Conway and Tom Latham. Both are very good players and have very good chances of scoring runs, but you don't find too many runs apart from them."
Conway was the Player of the Series in New Zealand's recent 2-1 win against Pakistan. The left-handed opener scored 153 runs at an impressive strike rate of 96.83, smashing a century and a half-century after a duck in the first game.
"The team does not have that much depth" - Aakash Chopra on New Zealand
While opining that New Zealand do not have much batting depth, Chopra highlighted the importance of the series for the visitors, explaining:
"Glenn Phillips gives you a little bowling. Henry Nicholls and Daryl Mitchell will also play but the team does not have that much depth. New Zealand have said that they will not come again to India before the World Cup, so this series is very important for them and they want to make the most of it."
The reputed commentator expects the Kiwis to put up a tough fight but believes that Rohit Sharma and Co. will emerge triumphant on Wednesday, stating:
"This team generally knows how to fight and that is what they will try to do. They always punch above their weight. I expect a clinical performance from the Indian team. Ishan Kishan will have a new role and Washington Sundar will have a little more responsibility, which I think he is absolutely capable of. India will win the match."
If India beat New Zealand 3-0 then India will be number 1 in ODIs.
New Zealand have been further weakened as Ish Sodhi has also been ruled out of the first game due to an ankle injury. They will likely field Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell as their two frontline spinners in the series opener.