India vs New Zealand 2020: 2nd ODI, Auckland: Top 5 players to have in your fantasy team

After an impressive triumph in the first ODI at Hamilton, a confident New Zealand will take on India in the second match of the three-games series at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday. It will be a must win game for India as an another loss would thwart their hopes of winning the series. For Kiwis, a victory would mean the series is theirs.

Following the horror T20I series, where New Zealand lost all the five matches to be clean swept, India were expected to be favourites going into the ODIs. However, New Zealand proved that they are going to be no pushovers with a brilliant batting effort at Hamilton. Ross Taylor produced a fine hundred while stand-in skipper Tom Latham and opener Henry Nicholls contributed crucial fifties as the Kiwis chased down a record 348.

Here’s a look at top 5 players to have in your fantasy team for the second ODI at Auckland.

#5. Jasprit Bumrah

Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah went wicket-less in the first ODI at Hamilton as the visitors could not defend a massive score of 347. However, with the series on the line, you can expect him to come up with a significant performance. Very rarely does Bumrah let the team down, especially in crunch situations.

After a poor start in the T20Is, he finished the series on a high with a stupendous 3 for 12 in the final match of the series. The man of the match-winning effort saw the Kiwis crumble in a chase of 164. India would be expecting something similar from him at Auckland.

#4. Shreyas Iyer

The 25-year old Shreyas Iyer needed one good series to establish himself in the limited-overs squads, and this series is proving to be that. Iyer’s maiden ODI in Hamilton may have come in a losing cause, but it reiterated that India have, perhaps, finally found the number four they have been so desperately seeking over the last couple of years.

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Before the Hamilton hundred in the first ODI, Iyer kicked off the T20Is with an aggressive 58 not out from 29 balls as India chased down 204 at Auckland. He followed it up with 44 from 33 in the next game and an unbeaten 33 in the final T20I at Mount Maunganui as India clinched the series 5-0.

#3. Virat Kohli

Indian captain Virat Kohli has not got the big scores on the tour so far. His scores till now read 45, 11, 38, 11 and 51. However, with the ODI series on the line, Kohli will be motivated to come up with the significant knock that has been missing from his kitty.

Kohli is not in bad form at all. He has been middling the ball really well. In fact, he arrived in New Zealand on the back to two fantastic fifties against Australia at home - 78 from 76 and 89 from 91. What Kohli needs is a little bit of luck that hasn’t gone his way so far.

#2. KL Rahul

The Indian batsman has been in fantastic form this season. And, to think that he was wasn’t a permanent fixture in the playing eleven till a few months back! The injury to Shikhar Dhawan and rest to Rohit Sharma gave KL Rahul’s career a fresh lease of life, and he has grabbed the same with both hands.

Rahul made a brilliant 88 not out from 64 in the Hamilton ODI in a losing cause. He has been among the runs in every game on the tour. Starting with fifties in the first two T20Is, he scored 27, 39 and 45 in the next three games. He should find a place in most people’s dream team.

#1. Ross Taylor

New Zealand's MVP and India's thorn in the bush - Ross Taylor

What a brilliant knock the former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor played at Hamilton in the first ODI to secure a record win for the hosts. His unbeaten 109 from 84 balls reiterated that he remains Kiwis’ greatest match-winner in chases. Even at 35, Taylor still doesn’t seem past his prime, which is a major plus for the hosts.

Taylor was in good form in the preceding T20Is as well. He slammed a brilliant unbeaten 54 from 27 balls in the opening T20I to take New Zealand past 200. Taylor made another fifty in the final T20I at Mount Maunganui, but failed to take the team past the finish line. His fine form though augurs very well for New Zealand.