After being hit by numerous injuries even before the tour started, the problems seem to be not ending for the New Zealand team. It is now being reported that leg-spinner Ish Sodhi and Blair Tickner have been called back into the team for the third and final ODI game against India.
The management was forced to take this decision as three of their players – Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, and Scott Kuggeleijn – are experiencing some health issues. Santner and Southee have been battling gastro problems while Kuggeleijn is down with viral.
All the three cricketers have still not recovered fully, that is why Sodhi and Tickner have been included in the squad. Santner and Kuggeleijn did not play the second ODI too. The Kiwis will surely miss the services of Tim Southee as he produced one of his finest spells in recent times in the second ODI. He picked up two important wickets, including skipper Virat Kohli and gave away just 40 runs in his 10 overs.
A lot of Kiwi players are out of the team due to injuries or illness. Skipper Kane Williamson suffered a shoulder injury in the third T20 International against India that forced him to be out of final T20 games and the first two ODIs. Lockie Ferguson and Trent Boult have also been out of the game last two months. But the good news is that Ferguson and Williamson did train a bit with the team before the second ODI.
It is believed that Kane Williamson will be back leading the side in the third and final game.
The Black Caps have already won the three-match series 2-0 and will look out to take the revenge of the clean sweep they endured in the shortest format of the game. Meanwhile, India would want to return to the winning ways by emerging victorious in Mount Maunganui.
New Zealand won the first ODI comfortably by chasing down a massive target of 347 with 11 balls to spare. Ross Taylor scored a brilliant century to take his team over the winning line. On the other hand, it was Southee’s match-winning spell that did not the Indian chase down a modest total of 278. Indians were bowled out at 251.
The third and final game will take place on February 11 at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.
New Zealand Squad: Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Kane Williamson(c), Ross Taylor, Tom Blundell, Tom Latham(w), James Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Mark Chapman, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, Hamish Bennett, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Scott Kuggeleijn
