3 players who could pick the most wickets in IND vs NZ 1st ODI

The Eden Park in Auckland will host the first of the three-match ODI series between New Zealand (NZ) and Team India (IND).

The short boundaries at this venue often make it a difficult place for bowlers to contain runs. With the pitch often having even pace and bounce, bowling can get tough.

However, there are some smart bowlers in both teams who could make use of their subtle variations and force the batters to play towards the bigger square boundaries rather than straight. That could make the contest between bat and ball interesting, as the margin of error for bowlers is minimal.

On that note, let's take a look at three bowlers who could have a good outing in Auckland:

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#3 Kuldeep Yadav (IND)

Kuldeep Yadav's comeback in the Indian team has been a testament to the hard yards he has put in training and the changes he has made to his bowling, especially the pace at which he bowls now. He will be hungry to pick wickets consistently, with the ODI World Cup less than a year away.

In seven ODIs this year, Kuldeep has picked up 11 wickets at a fabulous economy rate of just 4.89. He has ten wickets in five games he has played in New Zealand, and that could give him a lot of confidence ahead of the game on Friday.

He has the variations needed to keep the New Zealand batters guessing, and his ten overs could be key in the game's outcome.

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#2 Lockie Ferguson (NZ)

With short boundaries straight down the ground, pacers like Lockie Ferguson who hit hard lengths could play a key role at Eden Park. Ferguson has picked up 34 wickets in 22 ODIs in New Zealand and is well aware of the line and length needed in such grounds with short boundaries.

He has already troubled Indian batters like Shreyas Iyer with his raw pace in T20Is and could be a vital weapon for Kane Williamson to unleash in the ODIs as well. The Men in Blue will need to make use of Ferguson's pace to their advantage, or else he could pick up wickets in a cluster.

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#1 Shardul Thakur (IND)

One of the few bowlers who has a knack of picking wickets against the run of play, Shardul Thakur undoubtedly makes the top of this list. Quite a few eyebrows were raised when the all-rounder wasn't in India's main T20 World Cup squad.

However, the team has given him regular game time in ODIs this year, and Thakur has repaid the faith shown in him. In 12 ODIs this year, Thakur has picked up 17 wickets and has been a handful in the middle overs as well.

His variations could come in handy when the Kiwi batters try to cut loose and take advantage of the short boundaries.