The fifth and final ODI between New Zealand and India is being played at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. The visitors came into the contest on the back of their 244-run loss to the hosts at the same venue on Friday. Pacer Yash Thakur got his India cap just before the toss on Sunday, and he became the 267th cricketer to play ODI cricket for the Men in Blue.
Thakur, the right-arm seamer from Vidarbha, has played 60 List A games and taken 97 wickets with a best of 5/53. He made his India debut in the T20I format against Zimbabwe earlier this year and picked up five wickets from four games. The seamer is more of a workhorse and tends to bowl with decent speeds.
Speaking at the toss, theIndian skipper praised Yash Thakur. “Yash is a very jovial guy and has been waiting for this chance to play for the country. He has been in the scheme of things for a while, so I am glad that he is finally getting the opportunity to prove himself today.”
Mohammed Siraj was the other change for the visiting side as they were asked to bat after losing the toss. The 32-year-old’s last game for India was the ODI vs West Indies in New Chandigarh. Siraj has been mostly warming the benches during the course of the series so far.
When speaking about Siraj, the stand-in skipper said: “He has been craving a chance to play in all formats and has been around with the team. He is very experienced and knows how to go about things.”
Both players come in for Gurnoor Brar and Kuldeep Yadavwho played in the last game. Brar took two wickets and ended up with nine scalps for the series, which is the most by a bowler across the two sides. The 26-year-old has been added to India’s Test squad.
Kuldeep, who played in the fourth game of the NZ vs IND ODI series, was dropped after a poor performance with the ball. The 31-year-old bowled eight overs and went for 73 runs without picking a single wicket. As per BCCI, the veteran star will head back home and play domestic cricket.
New Zealand have also made two changes to their side, with Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson being rested. Henry took six wickets in the previous game, ripped through the Indian batting order, and helped his side win the contest with ease. Jamieson, on the other hand, troubled the opposition with his pace and bounce.
Jacob Duffy and Blair Tickner made their way back into the XI for the Kiwis as they look to defend a proud home record. It has been over seven years since they lost a bilateral fifty-over series. India would want to end the streak, particularly after losing at home in the fifty-over format against the Black Caps.
Playing XIs
New Zealand – Will Young, Tim Seifert, Nick Kelly, Dean Foxcroft, Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Kristian Clarke, Blair Tickner, Jacob Duffy, Matthew Fisher
India – Rohit Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (c), Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur
FAQ
What are the two changes made by India for the fifth ODI vs NZ?
Kuldeep Yadav and Gurnoor Brar have gone out of the team and have been replaced by Yash Thakur and Mohammed Siraj.
Why is Kuldeep Yadav dropped for the fifth ODI vs NZ?
Kuldeep Yadav has been dropped because of his poor performance against NZ in the 4th ODI, where he bowled eight overs for 73 runs and didn’t take any wickets.
Where is the fifth NZ vs IND ODI being played?
The fifth and final ODI between New Zealand and India is being played at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.