By Pragya Tiwari

Dharamsala, Oct 16 (DHNS): India’s celebrations of Test sweep against New Zealand could barely last long for a hangover. The one-day international series has already made a noiseless entry, and Black Caps for one are washed with relief.

For the hosts, it is a start from the scratch as they gear up to face old battles with new faces in the first of the five-match series beginning at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium here on Sunday.

With India choosing to rest their frontline bowlers Ravichandran Ashwin Ravindra Jadeja, and paceman Mohammad Shami, besides losing a few key players to injuries, the limited-overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is left to manage with a handful of inexperienced lot.

The previous ODI squad for the tour of Zimbabwe in June, where most of the seniors were rested, had featured five uncapped players. From that squad only seven have been retained for first three ODIs against New Zealand. Three of them- Jayant Yadav, Mandeep Singh and T20 regular Hardik Pandya -- are yet to play in an ODI match. Off-spinner Jayant is the only one among the three not to have made an international debut and returned without playing a match in Zimbabwe in June.

In fact, in the year dominated by T20 cricket, India have played only eight ODIs so far - five against Australia, where they lost 1-4, and and three against Zimbabwe, for their only ODI series win of the year so far. Since the 2015 World Cup, the only ODI series which India had won was also against Zimbabwe. Before that they had lost to Bangladesh and later to the visiting South Africans. India now have only eight more ODIs (against New Zealand and England) to go before the Champions Trophy in England in 2017 beckons. In short, India find themselves in a turmoil in the ODIs and need to flesh out strategies urgently amidst the current focus on the long Test season at home.

Long sessions at nets

Dhoni’s retirement from the Test finds him returning to international fold only after gaps. So it was not unusual to see him spend long sessions at nets and is expected to bat higher up the order, even if not at No.4.

For now, Dhoni has options in Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Mandeep for the opening slot. Manish Pandey, who has been impressive since his century in Australia earlier this year, too, can get a look in. With Suresh Raina missing the first match due to fever, the finisher’s slot needs to be filled, and Pandya, being an all-rounder, might just get an edge here.

India have sufficient spinning options in leg-spinners Amit Mishra, left-arm spinner Axar Patel and offie Yadav. Both Patel and Yadav can swing the bat too. Umesh Yadav leads the pace-attack with death over specialist Jasprit Bumrah and Dhawal Kulkarni, who was the most successful bowler for India ‘A’ against Australia.

Like India, New Zealand, too, are without some of their regulars like Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, and Colin Munro. They have made only three changes to their Test squad -- seamer Neil Wagner, batsman Henry Nicholls and spinner Jeetan Patel making way for Corey Anderson, all-rounder Anton Devcich and a fit-again seamer Tim Southee.

Devcich is in the national fray after nearly two years. His tidy left-arm spin and an aggressive approach at the top of the order makes him a welcome entry. Anderson, even as a pure batsman, brings the brand of power hitting. Even opener Martin Guptill would be eager to get going with his favoured white ball. The spin duo of Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi, who bowled a longish spell in the ‘nets’ on Saturday, could be the pivots of New Zealand attack.

Following the Test drubbing, the Black Caps are desperate to seek revival and relevance in the series through their strongest format.