India vs New Zealand Wellington Fifth ODI Match Preview-2019 Wellington February 3

After a horror show in Hamilton, India will be looking to bounce back in the fifth and final ODI at the Basin Reserve when they meet the Black Caps on Sunday. Having won the first three ODI’s comfortably, an Indian side sans skipper Virat Kohli and veteran keeper MS Dhoni suffered a jolt in swinging conditions as they went down to New Zealand at Seddon Park

Left arm bowler Trent Boult wrecked India’s top and middle order by claiming 5/21 as India were bowled out for just 92. New Zealand made short work of the target, chasing it down with eight wickets to spare.

Wellington hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Black Caps in this format of the game- they’ve lost their last three here, but they’ll be looking to finish the series on a high at the Basin.

With Dhoni has been declared fit for Sunday, India will probably opt to bring back the veteran in place of Dinesh Karthik, who scored a duck in Hamilton.

Hamilton a wake up call for the likes of Karthik, Ambati Rayudu and Kedar Jadhav who showed the Indian middle order has a soft underbelly that can be targetted if the likes of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan fail at the top.

Shubman Gill scored only 9 in Hamilton before giving a simple catch back to Boult, but he did show glimpses of class in his short innings. He will almost certainly be given another opportunity to make his case for the ODI series at home against Australia.

Hardik Pandya after returning from the suspension looked good in his short stay but failed to take his team to a decent total.

Mohammed Shami who was rested for the previous one dayer might make a comeback, though the management may choose to give rookie Khaleel Ahmed yet another game.

Opener Henry Nicholls, who replaced Colin Munro in the fourth ODI, looked really solid in his unbeaten knock of 30 runs, while Ross Taylor continued from where he had left off in Napier.

Opener Martin Guptill injured his back during practice, which gives the out of form Munro another chance before the World Cup.

In bowling department, the likes of Trent Boult and Colin De Grandhomme who were lethal in Hamilton, would be looking to carry forward the same form.

All rounder James Neesham and spinner Todd Astle who made their first appearances of the series in Hamilton, claimed a wicket each at Seddon Park, and New Zealand may choose not to tinker with a winning combination.

New Zealand XI

Henry Nicholls, Colin Munro, Kane Willamson (capt), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, James Neesham, Doug Bracewell/Mitchell Santner, Todd Astle, Matt Henry/Tim Southee, and Trent Boult

India XI

Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni/ Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed

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