1st ODI: Gill Returns as India Opt to Bowl First Against New Zealand
Hosts win the toss at Vadodara; Rishabh Pant ruled out of series with injury
1st ODI:Vadodara: India won the toss and elected to bowl first against New Zealand in the opening match of the three-match ODI series at the Kotambi International Stadium (BCA) here on Sunday.
The hosts suffered a major setback ahead of the series opener as wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the series due to a right-side strain. Dhruv Jurel has been named as his replacement in the squad.
All eyes will be on senior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom are in top form in this format across international and domestic cricket. Rohit is also chasing several milestones and will be keen to add to his already impressive list of achievements with a big performance.
1st ODI:After winning the toss, India captain Shubman Gill explained the team’s approach, saying, “We want to try different combinations and see what works best for us in different conditions, especially when playing in India. When you bowl second, dew can be a challenge, so we wanted to assess which combination suits our conditions the most. It looks like a good wicket.”
He added, “Hopefully, with the new ball, batting in the second innings becomes slightly easier, and that was the thinking behind bowling first. Most of the players have come here after playing a bit of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, so everyone looks to be in good form. We’ve played a lot of cricket together, and whenever we are together, the atmosphere is calm and positive.”
1st ODI:Speaking about team balance, Gill said India are playing six bowlers, including spinners Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep यादव, while the pace attack features Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Harshit Rana.
Meanwhile, New Zealand have fielded a relatively less experienced side but will be eager to challenge the Men in Blue.
1st ODI:Stand-in New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell, leading the side in the absence of Mitchell Santner, said they too would have preferred to bowl first but were content to bat. “We’ve got used to the conditions and had some really good net sessions. This is a big series for us—every time we play for New Zealand, it’s a moment of pride. Playing in India during the World Cup gives us an advantage. There are new faces, but there is experience as well,” he said.
Bracewell also noted that Christian Clarke is making his ODI debut, while Aditya Ashok will lead the spin attack.
