India's Predicted Playing XI for the 5th ODI against New Zealand

Fast Bowlers - Mohammad Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar

New Zealand v India - ODI Game 1

Mohammad Shami has been India's most successful pace bowler in the first 3 matches of the series. The right-arm fast bowler had picked 7 wickets in 3 games and had completely troubled the home side's batsmen.

However, Khaleel Ahmed was included in place of him in the 4th ODI. Rohit Sharma did not state the reason why but it seems like he wanted a right-left combination in the bowling attack.

Shami gets limited opportunities in ODI cricket due to the presence of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the squad and so, dropping him at a time when he had almost established himself as the team's strike bowler made little sense.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the lone Indian bowler to be amongst the wickets in the 4th ODI. The Meerut-born pacer scalped 2 wickets of the opposition in the mandatory powerplay and once again proved that he is one of the best powerplay bowlers of the world.