Analysis
IND vs NZ ODIs: Three young players to watch out for
The ODI series between the two teams will get underway on January 18.
After the final ODI against Sri Lanka to be played on January 15, Sunday, the Rohit Sharma-led team India (IND) will take on New Zealand (NZ) for a three-match ODI series set to get underway on Wednesday, with the first ODI set to be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Post a sepulchral outing in the 20-20 World Cup 2022, the Indian selectors are banking on youngsters and one has to agree that several young cricketers will be a part of the series. We decided to handpick three young players from countries to watch out for, given that it is they who are taking the team forward.
Here are the three young players to watch out for in the IND vs NZ ODI series:
3) Fin Allen
IND vs NZ ODIs 2023: Fin Allen (Image Source: Twitter)
Fin Allen, the young Kiwi batter, is proving his prowess with every passing game and eventually made a significant impact for the Black Caps during the 20-20 World Cup 2022. Much to the delight of the New Zealand fans, the player is in red-hot form in the 50-over format as well.
For the unversed, Allen gathered 387 runs in the 50-over format in 2022, including 4 fifties at a strike rate of 94.39, eventually proving to be a great find for the team. With a high score of 96, Allen averaged 38.70 in the ODIs last year and he could be threatening in the upcoming series as well.
2) Ishan Kishan
IND vs NZ ODIs 2023: Ishan Kishan (Image Source: Twitter)
Ishan Kishan, the young left-handed batter, ended the year 2022 in style as he bagged a double century to his name during the ODI series against Bangladesh, eventually joining the list of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma.
In the seven innings that he played, Kishan gathered 417 runs at an average of around 60 and a high score of 210. To add more to his ODI records in 2022, the batter scored two fifties and one century, eventually converting it to a 200 and a strike rate of 109.73. The southpaw will look to carry on with the form and will be a player to watch out for in the upcoming IND vs NZ series.
1) Shubman Gill
IND vs NZ ODIs 2023: Shubman Gill (Image Source: Twitter)
Shubman Gill is fast becoming India’s all-format player and the batter enjoyed a fantastic run in the ODI format in 2022, bagging Player of the Series during the tour to Zimbabwe and West Indies consecutively. Gill will be one of the players to watch out for in the series against New Zealand and will look to extend his purple patch.
As far as his records in ODIs are concerned, the right-handed batter amassed 638 runs at an average of 70.88, scoring 4 fifties and one century along the course of 12 innings, at a strike rate of 102.57. One has to agree that he is the best young batter for India across formats and the Kiwi pacers would be hoping to get him out early in the innings.
