Mount Maunganui [New Zealand], November 12 (ANI): New Zealand will look to avoid a series defeat when they take on India in the fourth match at Bay Oval on November 13, with improved batting conditions expected to provide a boost to the hosts' batters.
Trailing 0-2 in the series, the Black Caps will be desperate to bounce back and keep their hopes alive, while India will aim to maintain their dominance and secure an unassailable lead with another victory.
The third ODI in Hamilton presented New Zealand with an opportunity to bounce back, but persistent rain washed out the contest without a ball being bowled. The abandonment meant India retained their 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
The hosts now find themselves under pressure, with another defeat set to hand India an unassailable 3-0 lead and seal the series with one match still to play.
New Zealand's last home ODI series defeat came seven years ago, against India, and history could be repeated as the visitors have taken a 2-0 lead in the ongoing series, with the third match ending in a no result.
The Black Caps' remarkable run of 11 consecutive unbeaten home ODI series has now come to an end. However, they still have an opportunity to preserve their unbeaten record by winning both remaining matches in Mount Maunganui.
India began the series on a winning note, securing a five-wicket victory over New Zealand in the opening ODI in Auckland. The hosts were bowled out for 185, with Arshdeep Singh leading the attack with four wickets, while Gurnoor Brar chipped in with three. In reply, India comfortably chased down the revised target of 143 in 22.4 overs to take an early lead in the series.
India strengthened their grip on the series with another victory in Wellington, taking a 2-0 lead. New Zealand were restricted to 134 in 41 overs, but India faced a tricky chase in rain-affected conditions. The visitors reached 113/7 in 26 overs, surpassing the revised target of 110 under the DLS method before rain brought the contest to an end.
Heading into the fourth ODI, India will be without skipper Shubman Gill. In Gill's absence, India's T20I captain Shreyas Iyer will take charge of the ODI side for the first time when India face New Zealand in the fourth match at Bay Oval on November 13.
Gill has been rested for the final two ODIs, along with KL Rahul, as part of the team's workload management plan ahead of the upcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand, beginning November 19. The decision was pre-planned by the BCCI and is not related to an injury.
Iyer, who served as Gill's deputy in the first three matches, will now have an opportunity to make his mark as ODI captain. However, the responsibility comes at a challenging time, with the middle-order batter looking to rediscover his form in the 50-over format.
Ishan Kishan is likely to partner Rohit Sharma at the top of the order in Gill's absence. With Anshul Kamboj having joined the Test squad, Mohammed Siraj could get an opportunity to feature in only his second international match since the tour of Sri Lanka in August.
Siraj played a key role in India's 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, picking up 14 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 33.50. However, a lack of regular opportunities in the 50-over format since the tournament has affected his returns, with the pacer managing just nine wickets in 10 matches at an average of 47.44.
Despite the dip in his wicket-taking numbers, he has maintained a respectable economy rate of 5.40. His recent four-wicket haul in the second unofficial Test against New Zealand, however, could provide a timely confidence boost ahead of a potential return to the ODI side, as per CricViz.
Kuldeep Yadav, meanwhile, remains part of the ODI squad and could also come into contention if the conditions favour the inclusion of a second specialist spinner.
While, Virat Kohli is just 22 runs away from becoming the first batter to score 2,000 runs against New Zealand in ODIs. If he reaches the milestone, New Zealand will become his fourth opposition against whom he has crossed the 2,000-run mark, joining Australia, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. Sachin Tendulkar is the only other batter to have achieved the feat against four different opponents, doing so against Australia, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Kohli also has 18 fifty-plus scores (seven centuries and 11 half-centuries) against New Zealand in the format, placing him level with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting. Another fifty-plus score would see Kohli move past Ponting to claim the record for the most fifty-plus scores against New Zealand in ODIs.
On the other hand, New Zealand's batting struggles continue in the series. New Zealand's struggles at the top of the order in 2026 have been reflected in their opening partnerships, which have averaged just 26.7 runs per dismissal.
This is the third-lowest among Full Member nations, with only Zimbabwe (15.7) and Pakistan (18.3) recording poorer numbers. India, meanwhile, tops the charts with an average of 67.7.
The contrast is equally stark when it comes to the top three batters. New Zealand's top-order averages just 25.4, with no centuries and eight half-centuries in 2026. India, on the other hand, have dominated with an average of 65.6, registering eight centuries and 11 half-centuries, highlighting the gulf between the two sides' batting performances.
Squads:
New Zealand Squad: Will Young, Finn Allen, Nick Kelly, Tim Seifert(w), Dean Foxcroft, Mitchell Santner(c), Kyle Jamieson, Kristian Clarke, Jacob Duffy, Matthew Fisher, Matt Henry, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Hay, Brett Randell.
India Squad: Rohit Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer(c), Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan(w), Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Tilak Varma, Kuldeep Yadav, Kumar Kushagra, Yash Thakur. (ANI)
NZ vs IND 4th ODI: New Zealand look to avoid series defeat, as Iyer set for ODI captaincy debut
