ZZED Reporter
India vs. New Zealand: Following a record-breaking ODI series against Sri Lanka, previous skipper Virat Kohli will be aiming for further landmarks when India hosts a visiting New Zealand squad in a 3-match series starting on January 18.
Web Desk for India Today After kicking off the new year with a bang by scoring two hundreds and winning Player of the Series against Sri Lanka in a just finished ODI series, Virat Kohli is aiming for another record-breaking series. When India hosts World No. 1 New Zealand for a three-match ODI series beginning on January 18, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli. On January 18, 21, and 24, India will play host to New Zealand, who are visiting Asia after winning an ODI series against Pakistan. The matches will take place in Hyderabad, Raipur, and Indore.
Virat Kohli broke numerous records against Sri Lanka, including 2 hundreds and leading the batting rankings with 283 runs. In Guwahati, Kohli scored 113 to start the series, and in Thiruvananthapuram, he completed with his second-best ODI performance of 166 not out as India set a record for the largest margin of victory in ODI cricket (317 runs).
In his last four ODI innings, Kohli has scored three hundreds, bringing his career total to 46 centuries. He needs just three more to tie Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time ODI record. By scoring his 21st century in India during the 50-over version of the game, the former captain also surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s previous mark for most ODI hundreds at home.
And Kohli will be hoping for another successful series because of his incredible ODI record versus New Zealand. The World Cup champion has five ODI hundreds against New Zealand and needs two more to surpass Ricky Ponting’s all-time mark for the most hundreds in ODI cricket against the BlackCaps.
With five hundreds each, Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Kohli are tied for second place.
Kohli has scored 1378 runs in 26 games at a strike rate of 94.64 and an average of 59.91. In ODI cricket matches against New Zealand, he has scored 5 hundreds and 8 fifties.
But Kohli’s recent ODI performances against New Zealand have been far from impressive. In his last 7 encounters against New Zealand, Kohli has scored 224 runs but only 2 fifty-plus scores.
The ODI team, which also includes players like Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, and Shubman Gill, will be led by Kohli.
For the three-match ODI series, New Zealand will be missing Kane Williamson and Tim Southee. The visiting team in the ODI series will be captained by Tom Latham.
The two teams will play each other in a three-match T20I series after the ODI series. In the T20Is, Hardik Pandya will captain India.
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