Henry Nicholls Discusses New Zealand's ODI Preparation Ahead of World Cup 2027

Ahead of the second ODI against India, New Zealand's Henry Nicholls highlights the critical nature of ODI series in preparation for the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2027. He reflects on the learning experience of facing renowned players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, while also praising his team's bowling efforts in the first match. India leads the series 1-0 after a four-wicket victory, with key performances from their batsmen. Discover more about the teams and their strategies as they compete in this exciting series.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 13, 2026, 23:28 IST

Importance of ODI Series

As New Zealand gears up for their second ODI against India on Wednesday, batter Henry Nicholls has shared insights into the team's preparations for the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2027.

In a pre-match press conference, Nicholls emphasized the significance of ODI series, stating, "With fewer one-day matches between major tournaments, these series hold greater importance. For our team, this format is thrilling and essential."

Learning from Indian Stars

When discussing the challenge posed by Indian players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Nicholls remarked, "Playing against such players is a learning opportunity, and we anticipated this challenge coming into the series."

He commended his bowling unit for their efforts to apply pressure on both Indian batsmen, noting, "In the first game, our bowlers adapted well, especially in the second innings, which gave us a chance to get back into the match. The key moving forward is to maintain pressure on these skilled players on favorable surfaces."

Recap of the First ODI

India secured a four-wicket victory in the first ODI, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Key contributions came from captain Shubman Gill (56), Virat Kohli (93), and Shreyas Iyer (49), alongside lower-order support from KL Rahul (29) and all-rounder Harshit Rana (29), enabling India to chase down a challenging target of 301 runs.

On the bowling front, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, and Mohammed Siraj each took two wickets, limiting New Zealand to 300/8, despite a solid 117-run partnership between Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway.

Team Squads

India Squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul(w), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Ayush Badoni, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel.

New Zealand Squad: Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay(w), Michael Bracewell(c), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Adithya Ashok, Jayden Lennox, Nick Kelly, Josh Clarkson, Michael Rae.