India vs New Zealand ODI Series: Shubman Gill Opts to Bowl First Amid Rishabh Pant's Injury

Match Overview

In the opening match of the three-match ODI series, Team India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl first against New Zealand, led by Michael Bracewell. The match is taking place at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara.

Rishabh Pant's Absence

India faced a significant setback just before the series began, as star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was ruled out due to a side strain (oblique muscle tear).

The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced that Pant sustained the injury during a net session at the BCA Stadium on Saturday. Dhruv Jurel has been called up to replace him in the squad for the series against New Zealand. However, KL Rahul has taken over the wicketkeeping responsibilities for the first ODI.

Playing XIs

India's Lineup

India's playing eleven against New Zealand includes: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna.

New Zealand's Lineup

New Zealand's playing eleven features: Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay(w), Michael Bracewell(c), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, and Adithya Ashok.

Focus on Kohli and Rohit

The ODI series between India and New Zealand will spotlight batting legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom are now focused solely on ODIs.

Kohli recently earned the 'Player of the Series' title against South Africa, scoring 302 runs in three matches with an impressive average of 151.00, including two centuries and a fifty. He also made a notable return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 131 runs against Andhra Pradesh and 77 against Gujarat.

Rohit Sharma, currently the top-ranked ODI batter, scored 146 runs during the series against South Africa. He also made a comeback in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 155 against Sikkim but faced a golden duck against Uttarakhand.

Both players aim to maintain their excellent form in the upcoming series against New Zealand as they prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup.