ICC World Cup 2019, Ind vs NZ warm-up game: India to focus on no 4 spot

The warm-up game will provide, India and New Zealand an ample opportunity to get use to English conditions. In a warm-up game teams can use all 15 players in match and playing 11 is irrelevant

Virat Kohli will look to fix the number 4 conundrum in Team India's first warm-up game of ICC cricket World Cup 2019, when they take on New Zealand at the Kennigton Oval Stadium in London on Saturday. The Indian cricket led by Virat Kohli is going into the world cup as favourites and they look to brush up their form ahead of their world cup 2019 opener in first warm-up match. The warm-up will provide both the teams a ample opportunity to get use to of English conditions. Interestingly, in a warm-up game teams can use all the 15 players in the match and playing 11 is irrelevant.

Check (India vs New Zealand) warm-up match LIVE score and MATCH COMMENTARY HERE

 
Can Vijay Shankar outperform K L Rahul to grab Number 4 spot?
 
The outing at the Kennigton Oval will go beyond experimenting with their highly skilled bowling attack, and quite a bit of focus will be on K L Rahul and Vijay Shankar, contenders for the number four slot. K L Rahul is coming into the world cup as a reserve opener. However, Rahul’s form in recently concluded Indian Premier League was superb and India team management will look to give him an opportunity at the number 4 slot in the marquee event, if he performs well in the two warm-up games that Virat Kohli and company will have to play. India will take on Bangladesh in their second warm-up game on May 28.

 
On the other hand, Vijay Shankar, who get a place in India world cup squad ahead of batsman Ambati Rayudu, owing to his 3-D skills (batting, bowling and fielding) will look to prove his mantle on the batting friendly English pitches and pitch a strong case for number 4 spot.
 

MS Dhoni during practice session. Photo: PTI

How ICC cricket world cup 2019 is challenging for Team India?
 
Dubbed the most challenging World Cup ever owing to a format that is a throwback to the 1992 edition, Virat Kohli's team still arrived at the United Kingdom confident of adding to its two titles in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) showpiece event. India won the tournament in 1983 and 2011. Kohli's men, second behind England in the one-day international rankings, will start the tournament among the favourites alongside the host nation and defending champions Australia. They begin their campaign in tournament proper against South Africa in Southampton on June 5, but India will get their first feel of the mega event in the iconic British capital.

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While the arch lights will be firmly trained on their talismanic skipper, the number one batsman in 50-over as well as Test cricket, India, and their opponents, would also keenly watch their fancied pace attack that is a mix of speed and guile.
 
In Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan as openers followed by Virat Kohli, India have one of the finest and potent top three in the world. Veteran Mahendra Singh Dhoni, all-rounder Kedar Jadhav and the big-hitting Hardik Pandya provide depth to the line-up.

 

Jasprit Bumrah. Photo: AP | PTI

Opponents will observe the ability of India's seamers to exploit the conditions, which could be the most important factor going ahead. Jasprit Bumrah, the top-ranked ODI bowler in the world, leads the pace battery alongside Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik. Wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal add variety to India's attack, and Kohli sees them playing an influential role in the coming weeks.

India captain Virat Kohli. Photo: PTI

Here’s what Virat Kohli and Ross Taylor have said ahead of warm-up game
 
The seasoned Ross Taylor, one of the finest limited overs batsmen in recent years, had said it was good that New Zealand were playing India in the practice game. The reverse also holds true for India, as New Zealand offers them the kind of challenge that could make Kohli's team battle-hardened.
 
Kohli has expressed confidence in his side's ability to live up to the billing, while his counterpart Kane Williamson also expressed how pleased he was to have the squad back together, with New Zealand having last played an ODI on February 19 against Bangladesh.
 
"It's been great get together for the last few days. We've not played together for a couple of months but we're not the only ones in that boat. The guys are excited to be back in camp which is really refreshing, and we're looking forward to the challenges that we have got coming up," Williamson had said at the Captain's meet.

ICC cricket World Cup 2019: India vs New Zealand warm-up match live streaming details
 
Date and Day: May 25, 2019, Staurday.
 
Place: The Kennigton Oval Stadium, London
 
Time: 3:00 pm IST
 
India vs New Zealand warm-up match live streaming will be available live on Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 in English Commentary and Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD in Hindi Commentary. One can also live stream the India vs New Zealand warm-up match on Hotstar app. The fans can also watch in-depth analysis of live match on Star Sports Select 1, Star Sports Select 1 HD and can pre-match cricket live show from 1:30 pm at various Star Sports channels in Hindi, English, Bangla, Telugu, Kannada and Tamil .
 

Here are the ICC cricket World Cup 2019 squad of both the teams:
 
India world cup squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami, Vijay Shankar, Rohit Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav
 
New Zealand world cup squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Tom Blundell (wk), Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (wk), Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.