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Rohit Sharma And? Indian Players Who Have A Point To Prove In New Zealand ODIs

Anurag Dasgupta

Rohit Sharma could be under pressure in NZ ODIs [Source: AFP] Rohit Sharma could be under pressure in NZ ODIs [Source: AFP]

The home white-ball series against the West Indies is over, and India now focuses on the tricky New Zealand challenge, away from home. The Men in Blue will play a 5-match T20I series, followed by an equal number of ODI matches.

The ODI series remains crucial for India as it provides them a chance to prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup. India announced a strong squad for the ODIs, but even before a ball is bowled, several players will be under pressure.

In this article, we take a look at 3 such players who have a point to prove in the ODI series against New Zealand.

1) Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma might have scored runs in the home series against the West Indies, but leading up to the ODI World Cup in 2027, every series is crucial for the legendary Indian opener.

He started the year slowly, but picked up the pace in the England series away from home, and also scored a breathtaking hundred against the West Indies.

However, his poor record in New Zealand could be a cause of concern for Rohit, and the stats reveal the story.

Criterion
Data
Matches
14
Runs
437
Average
36.42
50s/100s
4/0

(Rohit Sharma ODI record in NZ)

  • As stats reveal, Rohit has an average of just 36 in New Zealand, and he has accumulated just 437 runs. In fact, New Zealand remains the only SENA nation where Rohit has yet to register an ODI three-figures.
  • Hence, the batter will be eager to get some runs under his belt on tricky New Zealand wickets.

2) Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill will be under pressure in the New Zealand ODI matches, but not due to his batting, but because of his captaincy record.

There is an interesting pattern observed in Gill’s ODI captaincy. Against the big teams (New Zealand, Australia, and England), India lost the series without putting up much of a fight.

Last year, they lost 1-2 against Australia, followed by another defeat at home against the Kiwis, and recently, under him, the team lost 1-2 against England.

Gill will leave the team after the first three ODIs, but he’ll be eager to prove his captaincy mettle against New Zealand in the first. three games.

3) Mohammed Siraj

For some reason, the Indian team management has hardly shown any trust in Mohammed Siraj’s ODI abilities. Newcomers have been preferred over him, and this could also be due to his poor numbers since last year.

Criterion
Data
Matches
4
Dismissals
4
Average
44.00
Economy
5.03

(Siraj ODI record in 2026)

  • Siraj has played four ODI matches this year and has only scalped 4 wickets, with an average of 44.
  • In Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, Siraj has a chance to once again prove his worth in the New Zealand ODIs and stake his claim in the Indian squad for the World Cup.

Conclusion

The likes of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Mohammed Siraj will be under pressure during the New Zealand ODI matches.

While Rohit, and Siraj will be under pressure due to their performances, Gill needs a solid win against a top-notch ODI team, and he’ll be eager to break that jinx on the New Zealand tour.