India out to ride the Ro-Ko wave to another series win

The Ro-Ko caravan has now reached Rajkot, and the fever is peaking in this part of the world - as it has been elsewhere in the country and beyond. A full house is expected at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Saurashtra on Tuesday, but what is the big deal about it anyway?

Since the marketing campaign focussed on the two veteran Indian cricketers - driven by the broadcaster - began last October, the ODI format, long considered to be in decline, has seemingly witnessed a resurgence. Packed stands, soaring ratings, and heightened commercial interest definitively point to a much-needed fillip for the 50-over game. As one industry expert put it, the Ro-Ko exclusivity has certainly played a part in reinvigorating the ODIs.

The real draw is that neither Rohit Sharma nor Virat Kohli, both on the wrong side of 30, is showing any signs of slowing down. Kohli has been in sublime form, as seen in Baroda the other night, and is on a record-breaking spree. The only shortcoming of his Baroda show was his inability to complete his century.

Rohit has been no different, typically taking the attack to the opposition upfront. There was a debate on air during the Baroda ODI over whether Rohit was abandoning the momentum-setting, high-risk, ultra-aggressive approach he had adopted during the 2023 World Cup. That notion was quickly dispelled when he charged down the track to take on Kyle Jamieson, New Zealand's lead pacer.

It was a brief but impactful knock in the first ODI - 26 off 29 deliveries, marking three fours and two sixes - and it was evident that the long pauses between international assignments are neither diminishing his effectiveness at the top of the order nor eroding his prowess. Rohit Sharma looks leaner, meaner, sharper, and hungrier. His ODI scores in Rajkot are 65 (74), 42 (44), 81 (57), if they are indicators of anything.

With India leading the three-match series 1-0, yet another ODI series win for the hosts is on the cards, but that is only one part of the narrative surrounding the second ODI against New Zealand. The other half concerns team composition, and questions remain over whether the selectors and team management are fully aligned on identifying personnel for next year's ODI World Cup in South Africa.

Benching Nitish Kumar Reddy for the first game was a strange call, given that the young all-rounder is expected to be a key cog in the World Cup campaign. Unless someone in the setup has a crystal ball predicting that Hardik Pandya will definitely be fit for South Africa 2027, Nitish's absence from the starting XI defied logic.

It is clear that the team management holds Washington Sundar in high regard, having drafted him into the XI in Baroda as the third spinner, sixth specialist bowler and a No. 7-8 batter. But now that the Tamil Nadu all-rounder is injured, the pace-bowling Andhra all-rounder should be a shoo-in for Wednesday's game. Sundar's replacement, Ayush Badoni, may have to wait for his international debut, as will Dhruv Jurel, who came in for the injured Rishabh Pant, for his ODI debut.

What to expect: The second string New Zealand side, led by Michael Bracewell, has shown that it can punch above its weight, even though the home team under Shubman Gill will start as overwhelming favourites. Expect another full house and yet another high-scoring game.

India:Ayush Badoni, drafted in for the injured Washington Sundar, has joined the team in Rajkot, but it is unlikely he will get his maiden international cap. The Indian team is expected to field Nitish Reddy for the match, while the other members of the ODI XI are likely to retain their places.

New Zealand: New Zealand were a few runs short in Baroda and will need their batters to build on starts and navigate the middle overs a little better. On the bowling front, Kyle Jamieson is the leader of the attack, but he will need support from the likes of Kristian Clarke, Zakary Foulkes, and the other bowlers.

- New Zealand are yet to win an ODI bilateral series in India in seven attempts. In fact, they have won just 8 out of 40 completed ODI matches against India in India.

- On Sunday, New Zealand lost an ODI match after nine consecutive wins post the Champions Trophy 2025. This was their joint-second-longest streak in ODIs. During this period, they won three three-match series against Pakistan, England, and West Indies, respectively, all at home.

"There's not as much one-day cricket between major events, I think that makes these series even more important. A few of us have been playing some List-A cricket back home, so we have got a bit of the format under our belt. But it's a format that we enjoy playing so when you have those series now, they are more important than ever with limited amounts." - New Zealand opener Henry Nicholls on the ODI format

"He's been playing and performing, and he's played for India A. Normally, no team would go with five bowlers, if we had an injured Washy and only five bowlers in the last game, who would have completed those overs? So we need to have somebody who can bowl those 4-5 overs, and that's why he has been selected." - India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak explains the selection of Ayush Badoni in the ODI team

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