India vs New Zealand, ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 warm-up: Preview, predictions

India could hardly have had a better opposition than New Zealand for their first World Cup warm-up match. They had thrashed New Zealand 4-1 at their den, their only defeat coming on a green pitch – something the World Cup is unlikely to feature.

All eyes will be on Virat Kohli, of course, especially after his tremendous performance in England last year. Rohit Sharma, of course, is second in ICC rankings – but then, Ross Taylor is at third, and Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson both feature in the top twelve, while Shikhar Dhawan is 13th. All six men have been in terrific form of late; against ordinary attacks, one should expect them to stack up 200/2 by the 35th over.

But then, these are no ordinary attacks. The Indian wrist-spin twins are at seventh and eighth, while Jasprit Bumrah holds top spot; and Trent Boult is second. As experts have opined, India should include both spinners – along with Ravindra Jadeja – at least for the initial matches: and when to try them out, if not in a warm-up match?

Head to head

India hold a 55-45 lead over New Zealand in their 106 clashes. However, New Zealand have won all 3 matches between the teams on English soil – in 1975, 1979, and 1999.

Key players

Jasprit Bumrah (India): Eighteen matches, 29 wickets at 21.03 apiece, 4.07 runs an over since January 2018: you cannot argue with those numbers – and that is just one format. It has taken Bumrah three years to emerge as India’s best bowler – if not the best in the world – across formats. In a warm-up match, however, he may bowl one spell or maybe in two short bursts.

Colin de Grandhomme (New Zealand): “CdG” has a batting strike rate of 126 since the start of 2018 – and has gone for just 4.65 an over. He has been there to bludgeon the bowlers in the death overs and bowl short spells, not quite picking up wickets but curbing the batsmen. He will have to play a role as crucial as anyone if New Zealand has to make it to the semi-finals.

Squads

India: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (vc), MS Dhoni (wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, Kedar Jadhav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami.

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Tim Southee (vc), Tom Blundell (wk), Tom Latham (wk), Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor.

Prediction

India to win the way they had done in New Zealand.