India vs NZ ODI Predictions: Experts pick the series result and top performers

After annihilating New Zealand 3-0 in the Test series, India take on New Zealand in 5-ODI series, with the first ODI at Dharamsala starting tomorrow. India has rested key members including, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, and brought in youngsters Jayant Yadav and Kedhar Jadhav into the squad. The core of India’s batting will rely on stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma, while MS Dhoni will return to take on the captaincy mantle from Virat Kohli.

New Zealand, on the other hand, finds themselves in a better position as compared to Tests, with the inclusion of Tim Southee and Corey Anderson strengthening their squad. They are currently ranked at number thee in the ODI rankings, one spot above India, and would look to redeem themselves in the shorter format. In the last five ODIs played between these two teams, New Zealand has won four games, while India has won just one.

So a day before the start of the ODI series, we, at SportsKeeda decided to ask our in-house cricket experts about their views on the scoreline of the series, the top run scorer, the highest wicket taker, and the player who will surprise everyone with his performance in the series.

Sambhav Khetarpal

I am going for a 4-1 win to India. As far as the top run-getter is concerned, I feel Ajinkya Rahane will take the honours since he has been in fine form in recent times, and also given the fact he gets to play more deliveries being an opener. For the highest wicket taker, I’ll go for the young Axar Patel, who New Zealand might find tough to deal with given their susceptibility against quality spin. Axar Patel’s performance will also surprise everyone and will allow him to make a case for himself for a permanent spot in India’s ODI squad. As for my expectations from the series, I just hope we don’t see batting paradises at the venues and find a good balance between bat and ball.

Shyam Sundar

It’s going to be a fox vs cat contest. I am going for a closely contested series, with India winning 3-2. Kiwi skipper, Kane Williamson will score the highest number of runs in the series, while Trent Boult will take the highest wickets. Rohit Sharma will continue his fine form in the ODIs and will end up as the man of the series. I expect the young New Zealand spinner, Ish Sodhi, to surprise everyone with his performance with the ball.

Rajdeep Singh

After thrashing them in the Test series, India will look to emulate the result in the ODI series as well. It might not be easy though as India’s squad is a relatively inexperienced one, along with a few experienced players. New Zealand, on the other hand, have a full strength squad with the likes of Tim Southee and Corey Anderson back in the grind. Despite this, I feel India still have the upper hand as they have shown time and again when they play at home, and I predict India to defeat New Zealand 4-1 in the series.

Rohit Sharma has proved to be one of the most dangerous batsmen at home, and I feel he will be the top-scorer, while Jasprit Bumrah will be the top wicket getter in this series. It might come as a surprise to readers when I say that MS Dhoni will be the surprise performer in the series. He has not been on top of his game of late, and with the absence of key players, he will surely step up his game. We might even witness him coming up the order to bat, and that would bode well for the Indian team.

Kislaya Srivastava

With a few mavericks rested, India have chosen to field an untested side for the first three ODIs against New Zealand. Now, they might have defeated the Kiwis in the Test series 3-0, but the NZ side with the white ball is an entirely different menace, one must remember. It was not for nothing that they reached the final of the 2015 World Cup.

As for India, while they have rested a few key members of the side such as Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, the batting core of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and MS Dhoni is still intact, and given their recent form, I think Kohli would be the trump card for India.

Kohli's unbelievable numbers in T20 cricket warrant for some high expectations for sure, but whether he will be able to live up to them remains to be seen. Taking a look at his Test form, one is forced to give in to the fact that Kohli is in with every chance in the world to score the most the runs in the series and run away with the man of the series award.

As for the Indian bowlers, the trio of Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni and Jasprit Bumrah would be sharing the workload alongside Axar Patel and Jayant Yadav. While all of them barring Jayant are relatively experienced in ODI cricket, Kulkarni's form coupled with his performances in Australia with India 'A' where he was the team's highest wicket-taker make him a contender for the highest wicket-taker of the series.

Manish Pandey has earned his place on the side on the back of some magnificent performance, and I pick him as the surprise performer of the series. As for the scoreline, I expect NZ to pose a heavy challenge to the Indians, but do not think that they'll be able to clinch the series. It should be 3-2 in India's favour.

Aadya Sharma

New Zealand has won 4 of their last 5 ODIs against India, and I expect the trend to continue, with New Zealand winning the series 3-2. Martin Guptill will go on to score the highest runs, while the slippery fast bowler, Matt Henry taking the highest wickets. Henry will also go on to bag a man of the series award. Ross Taylor, who was out of form during the Test series, will surprise everyone through some excellent batting displays.

Rahul Kargal

Unlike India’s previous home series, I don’t expect the India-New Zealand series to be played on batting friendly surfaces. Suresh Raina, who is making a comeback, might find it difficult against New Zealand’s quality pacers, and could very well see the end of his career during this series. As far as the scoreline is concerned, I predict a 4-1 series win for India. Kane Williamson will score the highest runs in the series, and will also be the man of the series. India’s leggie Amit Mishra might very well expose New Zealand’s fragility against spin and will take the highest number of wickets in the series. Debutant spinner, Jayant Yadav will surprise everyone with his performance in the series.

Srihari

I seriously hope the series is played on pitches rather than highways, where we get to see a good balance between bat and ball. New Zealand will bounce back from the drubbing they received in the Tests, and will come out victorious in a closely contested ODI series by a margin of 3-2. New Zealand skipper and leading batsman, Kane Williamson, be the top run-getter, that will also win him the man of the series award. Right arm quick, Matt Henry, will trouble the Indian batsmen with his slippery pace, and he will take the highest number of wickets in the series. The hard-hitting Corey Anderson, who is making a comeback in the New Zealand side, will surprise everyone with some quick fire innings in the middle order,

Manish Pathak

This series will be in and around MS Dhoni since his biopic came out recently. I expect India to win the series 3-2, with Rohit Sharma continuing his fine vein of form in the ODIs, and scoring the highest runs in the series. The Mumbai-lad will also be the player of the series, further growing his legend in the shorter format. Youngster Axar Patel will trouble the Kiwis with the ball, and take the most number of wickets in the series. I expect Mitchell Santner, who was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand in Tests, to come good in the ODIs and surprise everyone with his performance.

Vignesh Ananthasubramanian

The outcome of this series will depend on the winner of the battle between Indian batsmen and New Zealand bowlers. The will be a competitive series, and I expect the hosts to run away with the series 3-2. Being a big fan of Rohit Sharma, I back him to be the series' leading run scorer and win the Man of the Series award. Jasprit Bumrah will scalp the most wickets. I expect Hardik Pandya to surprise everyone with his performance and I have a gut feeling that this series will be Suresh Raina's final ODI series.

Shankar Narayan

After losing the Test series 3-0, I expect New Zealand to struggle in the ODIs as well. MS Dhoni may have a slightly depleted squad, but I expect some of them to stand up and perform and play a vital role in India winning the series. The highest run-getter will be Virat Kohli, as it has by far been Kohli’s year in limited-overs cricket and I expect him to carry that run into the New Zealand series as well. The pitches in the series are likely to assist spin, but I expect Jasprit Bumrah to be the standout player and take the highest wickets, despite conditions not suiting him.

Despite a significant portion of the rules being in the batsman’s favour, I expect Bumrah to come out trumps in the limited-overs series and win the Player of the Series award for his performance. In the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel will provide Dhoni with a like-for-like all round option with both bat and ball. He has been in and out of the side, but I expect this series to be a turning point in his career.

Kaushal Raj

Highly excited to see the 'men in blue' in blue again. India begin the series in 4th place in the ODI rankings and given how aggressively Kohli and Kumble went after the No. 1 spot in the Tests; I would expect India to make a push upwards here as well. MS Dhoni, of course, will have redemption on his mind as memories of the T20I against West Indies will still be fresh in mind. For the Kiwis, they will be desperate to avenge the loss in the Test series. That said, India have too much in the tank for the Kiwis.

I expect them to whitewash the Kiwis 5 - 0 with Virat Kohli playing a starring role. He will be the leading run scorer as well as the man of the series. With the ball, Jasprit Bumrah will continue his exceptional work and just edge out Trent Boult at the top. I think we might see a different side of MS Dhoni. He will play with more freedom, and his aggressive style will be a surprise.