Top 5 New Zealand players to watch out for in the upcoming series against India
The Kiwis have arrived in India to take on the hosts in limited overs cricket later this week. The teams will play three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 Internationals (T20I). The series will begin with an ODI at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
This tour will benefit both the teams in preparing them for their upcoming matches - India is heading for a long South African summer, and New Zealand will host Sri Lanka in December, followed by Pakistan early next year.
This is New Zealand's second tour of India within the last year - they lost the Test series 3-0 and the ODIs 3-2 in September-October 2016. There are no Test matches this time, and the New Zealand team has undergone a face-lift, adding some promising new faces to the squad.
Adapting to the conditions in India will be key to their success. The batting unit is experienced, and Ross Taylor's form will be crucial to the team's performance. The team's pace-bowling has depth too, but the squad might find itself lacking in quality wicket-taking spinners aside from Mitchell Santner.
India is ranked No. 2 in the ODIs, while the Kiwis are the best side in the T20Is. India has been doing consistently well at home - in the recently concluded series against Australia, they thrashed the Aussies in both the Test and ODI matches, and tied the T20Is.
Will the young Kiwi side perish against the best ODI team in the world or will they give them a good fight? New Zealand announced its squad on 14th October, and here are the top five players to watch out for:
Kane Williamson
The skipper is undoubtedly one of the most consistent performers on the New Zealand team. Though his ODI average of 35 in India trails well behind his overall ODI average of nearly 47, he is likely to pose a threat to the Indian bowlers.
Getting him out early would be essential as he is capable, if the need arises, of taking the team to victory single-handedly.