India v New Zealand
Saturday 21 January, 08:00
TV: ESPN streaming
Team news
Shubman Gill booked his World Cup place with a scintillating double century last time out. Suryakumar Yadav has the chance to do likewise after Shreyas Iyer's injury ruled him out.
There are legitimate concerns about India's bowling, as ever, without Jasprit Bumrah. India shouldn't have given them a sniff chasing 349 when they reduced them to 131 for six.
Shahbaz Ahmed, another all-rounder, might get the chance to audition in place of Washington Sundar who was pricey.
Possible XI: Rohit, Gill, Kohli, Ishan, Yadav, Hardik, Shahbaz, Thakur, Shami, Kuldeep, Siraj
New Zealand will take heart from the 12-run defeat. Whether that is fair or they only got so close thanks to a once-in-a-lifetime knock from Michael Bracewell remains to be seen.
The biggest Kiwi achievement of the series may yet prove to be an IPL deal for Bracewell, who smashed 140 from 78 balls.
Instead of relying on such knocks thye need Devon Conway and Tom Latham, two of their best against spin, to lock in.
Probable XI: Allen, Conway, Nicholls, Mitchell, Latham, Phillips, Bracewell, Santner, Shipley, Ferguson, Tickner
Pitch report
This will be the first ODI played at the Shaheed Veer Marayan Singh Stadium in Raipur. There have been only six IPL nmatches there with an average first-innings score of 150. Such a dearth of data is a nightmare for punters, frankly. India's runs are likely to bet set in the mid 320s.
How to play
India are 1.384/11 with New Zealand 3.4012/5. It's a skinny price about the hosts who were given the fright of their lives.
In the absence of an idea about what the picth might be like, there is the possibility of betting blind on the Kiwis to trade. But if it's a road and if India bat first, they could well be bigger at the break.
Tops value
Virat Kohli has been boosted to 5/1 with Sportsbook. Over his career he has a win rate on this market at 19% so the enhanced odds are welcome. He is 5/2 to top score for India. Gill is 7/2.
For the Kiwis, we must keep faith with Latham and Glenn Phillips for top bat. They have drifted to 11/2 and 15/2 respectively after game one and have solid records. Bracewell is 14/1.