Biggest challenges Kiwis will pose to India in ODIS

#3 The Supporting Cast

Tom Latham is a very capable batsman with good memories of playing against India

Guptill, Williamson and Taylor are the big-three in the New Zealand line-up but who else should India pay attention to?

Tom Latham is one of them. Back in the ODI squad after some time, Latham is an understated batsman but one who has good memories of playing against India. In the last series between the two teams – in India – Latham batted superbly and scored a brilliant hundred. Not the most expansive batsmen, he is capable of milking the bowling and finding the gaps when necessary.

Henry Nicholls is fast emerging as a very reliable batsman for the Kiwis in Test cricket and is likely to play a part in this series also. How he will perform in this series can’t be predicted easily.

One batsman who can pose a serious threat to Indian bowlers in the death overs is Colin de Grandhomme. Known mainly as a medium-pace swing bowler, Grandhomme is physically strong and was expected to be a big hitter in international cricket. After disappointing initially, he finally started to show his mettle with some dazzling knocks in recent times where he bludgeoned bowling attacks with ease in both Tests and ODIs.

Still not in the category of a Kieron Pollard or Ben Stokes, Grandhomme, nevertheless, can contribute some quick runs lower down the order.