Aussies done, New Zealand next?

Napier, January 22 

On a high after a defining tour of Australia, the Virat Kohli-led Indian team faces a trickier challenge when it locks horns with an ever-so-sprightly New Zealand in a five-match ODI series starting on Wednesday. The Indian team, which has shifted its focus entirely on World Cup preparations, is still searching for the right middle-order combination despite their first-ever bilateral ODI series win on Australian soil.

MS Dhoni’s hat-trick of half-centuries has brought joy to the dressing room but the smaller grounds in New Zealand against a better seam attack comprising the wily Trent Boult, the talented Lockie Ferguson and the relentless Tim Southee will be a different test altogether for the ‘Men In Blue’. New Zealand in their own backyard have always been a force to reckon with and the touring Indian teams over the years will testify that, having won only 10 out of the 35 ODIs, including a 0-4 drubbing during the last series in 2014.

Competitive Kiwis 

The first match at McLean Park, however, will be played in sultry conditions of around 30 degrees Celcius. Skipper Kohli is well aware that the Black Caps, with some quality players in their ranks, can be very competitive.

“The fact they are No. 3 in the world speaks about their consistency over the last couple of years. We played them in India and got beaten in Mumbai, and all the games were competitive and we felt they had a really good balance,” said Virat Kohli. “They have that energy and that buzz about them and they play their cricket in the right way which is something we always appreciate,” said Kohli.

For the Indian team, some of the issues that need to be addressed are Shikhar Dhawan’s form, Dhoni’s batting position and how to get the balance right till all-rounder Hardik Pandya comes back from suspension. Left-handed Dhawan’s position at the top of the order is under no imminent threat but a highest score of 35 in the last nine games doesn’t make a pretty picture. Dhoni did well as a No. 4 in the final ODI against Australia but Kohli is likely to use him more as a floater depending on match situations.— PTI

Don’t ‘feed off’ booing anymore: Kohli 

Napier: Virat Kohli says he doesn’t “feed off” booing anymore and channelises his energy and focus on the “greater responsibility” of leading the team. Kohli had been on the receiving end of the Australian fans in the Test series Down Under recently. On the eve of the first ODI of the five-match series against New Zealand, there was a question for him on booing. “Well that used to happen in the middle phase of my career. It all started in 2014-15 series (in Australia). So I used to feed off those things then as I needed to boost myself up but now being the captain of the team, I really don’t need to focus on those things,” Kohli said.

Mithali ready for NZ challenge

Napier: Asserting that her dispute with former coach Ramesh Powar and CoA member Diana Edulji is a thing of past, Indian women’s ODI captain Mithali Raj said cricket has helped her deal with the adversities of life. “What has happened has happened, I have moved on. Cricket has taught me to move on whether it’s scoring a hundred or getting out on zero, you have to be prepared for the next game, you need to tune in for the next day,” Mithali said. The Indian women’s team’s tour of New Zealand begins on Thursday, with the first ODI at McLean Park.