Wellington [New Zealand], November 6 : India will look to strengthen their position in the five-match ODI series when they take on New Zealand in the second match at Hnry Stadium in Wellington on Saturday.
Led by Shubman Gill, India head into the contest with a 1-0 advantage after securing a five-wicket victory over the hosts in a rain-affected opening ODI in Auckland through the DLS method. The visitors will now aim to build on their winning start and move closer to taking an unassailable lead in the series.
India's bowling attack was among the biggest positives in the series opener, with Arshdeep Singh leading the effort with four wickets, while Gurnoor Brar claimed three scalps. Anshul Kamboj also made an important contribution with two wickets and was named Player of the Match for his performance.
The bowlers restricted New Zealand to 185 in 40.2 overs, putting the hosts under pressure after India opted to field.
With the bat, Virat Kohli once again demonstrated his experience in the 50-over format, scoring 74 off 51 deliveries to guide India's chase. Captain Shubman Gill also contributed 37 off 56 balls as India reached the revised target of 143 in 22.4 overs, losing five wickets.
India will look to carry forward their batting momentum in Wellington, with Kohli expected to remain a key figure in the middle order and Gill keen to make a substantial contribution as captain.
New Zealand, meanwhile, will be eager to respond after their batting unit failed to put up a competitive total in the opening match. The hosts will look to make better use of their home conditions and produce a stronger performance with both bat and ball to level the series.
The hosts have also suffered a setback ahead of the second ODI, with Devon Conway ruled out of the remainder of the series after sustaining a concussion during training. Nick Kelly has been called up as his replacement.
With the series currently standing at 1-0, Saturday's encounter will be crucial for both sides. While India will aim to extend their advantage, New Zealand will be under pressure to make a comeback and keep the five-match contest evenly poised.
The second ODI will also bring attention to the performances of players associated with the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League. India captain Shubman Gill, who leads the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, will be looking to make a significant contribution with the bat in Wellington. Mohammed Siraj and Gurnoor Brar are also part of India's ODI squad, with Brar having made an immediate impact in the opening match by claiming three wickets.
Despite scoring 37 off 56 balls in the previous game, Shubman Gill's overall ODI record continues to reflect his dominance in the format. Since becoming a regular in India's ODI setup in 2022, he has scored 3,701 runs, the most by any batter in this period, at an average of 66.1 and a strike rate of 103. His ability to negotiate the early overs has been another major strength. Since 2024, Gill has been dismissed inside the first 10 overs only eight times in 26 innings, accumulating 519 runs at an impressive average of 64.87, according to Cricviz Stat.
While playing pull shots, Virat Kohli intercepted the ball 2.25m from the stumps, all the other batters while playing it, intercepted it 1.90m from the stumps – a gap of almost 35 cm, so Kohli was playing his shots much earlier and getting into position earlier. 
Batters playing pull and hook shots in the 1st ODI : 
All other batters: Runs 50, Balls 41, Dismissals 6, Average 8.3, S/R 122 
Virat Kohli: Runs 29, Balls 11, Dismissals 1, Average 29.0, S/R 264
Daryl Mitchell played a steady knock in the previous game, scoring 28 runs off 41 deliveries before being dismissed run out for the first time in his ODI career. Meanwhile, KL Rahul has been outstanding since cementing his place in India's middle order. Batting at positions 4-6 since 2023, Rahul boasts an impressive average of 63.7 and a strike rate of 97. Among full-member nations, only Daryl Mitchell has managed to produce numbers remotely comparable to Rahul's, highlighting the consistency and impact both batters bring to the middle order.
Their performances on the international stage will be another storyline to follow as India's tour of New Zealand progresses.
India vs New Zealand head-to-head
India and New Zealand have shared a long-standing rivalry in ODI cricket, having faced each other in several bilateral series and major ICC tournaments. India will enter the second ODI looking to build on their overall record against the Black Caps, while New Zealand will hope to draw confidence from playing at home and use familiar conditions to their advantage.
The second ODI is scheduled to begin at 7:30 AM IST on Saturday, November 7, at Hnry Stadium in Wellington.
Squads:
 
India Squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul(w), Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mohammed Siraj, Ishan Kishan, Kuldeep Yadav
 
New Zealand Squad: Will Young, Tim Seifert, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner(c), Nathan Smith, Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy, Blair Tickner, Nick Kelly, Matthew Fisher, Michael Bracewell, Matt Henry.