Cricket: Black Caps begin road to ODI World Cup with first match against India

Finn Allen has nailed down a spot in a Black Caps team in transition. Photo / photosport.nz

The pain is still easing from their last World Cup but the Black Caps’ road to the next begins tomorrow at Eden Park.

After a steady diet of T20 cricket, culminating in their semifinal exit against Pakistan a fortnight ago, New Zealand will now switch focus to the one-day game for the first of three matches against India.

It’s an appropriate opposition given India are hosting next year’s ODI World Cup — the final of which is a year away tomorrow – and will feature among the favourites for the crown.

Whether the Black Caps fit in that same category depends on the next several months. Their credentials as a tournament team are unquestionable, having reached the semifinals in each of the last five white-ball tournaments, but the current side are in a period of transition.

From the XI who tied with England in the 2019 World Cup final, four players no longer possess central contracts and a fifth has retired. Ross Taylor is the only one to have waved a permanent goodbye, but Trent Boult, Jimmy Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme and Martin Guptill will now be battling the Black Caps’ stated preference to select from contracted players.

Only Neesham will feature in this series, though will be replaced by Henry Nicholls for the third match to prepare for his wedding, which creates openings for a few players to seize.

Finn Allen is one player who has already done that, despite his indifferent T20 form since breaking out against Australia at the World Cup. The 23-year-old has averaged 9.3 in six innings since and has played only eight ODIs since making his debut in July, but his ownership of the opening position saw Guptill this week decide to pursue opportunities in franchise cricket.

Skipper Kane Williamson is unconcerned by Allen’s recent barren spell, knowing all experience in the middle will be vital in the coming year.

“You’re always going through different experiences and you get taught a number of different lessons,” Williamson said. “As a young player, Finn’s got an incredible amount of talent, we’ve all seen that, and he’s continuing to learn.

“So they’re all really valuable experiences to have. It’s just the nature of sport and he’s got a great appetite to keep improving and developing as a player.”

Watch every match of the BlackCaps v India series live on Spark Sport

Tim Southee, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson still offer an experienced pace trio in Boult’s absence, with Adam Milne also given a chance to play his first ODI since 2017. A back injury prevented Kyle Jamieson from being selected while Blair Tickner – added to the contract list in place of Boult – made the cut only for the T20 series, claimed 1-0 by India.

Daryl Mitchell has emerged since 2019 to bolster the all-round stocks and essentially replace De Grandhomme, while Michael Bracewell assumed Neesham’s contract spot and would put pressure on Mitchell Santner for the spinning all-rounder position.

It all adds up to a likely team tomorrow with one change – Henry for Boult – from the Black Caps’ last ODI when they were swept in September’s Chappell-Hadlee series, with a settled side the preference ahead of the next big target.

“After a large volume of T20 cricket and the World Cup, naturally the focus shifts a little bit to the next one,” said Williamson. “I’m reluctant to call it preparation – it’s very much focusing on the series at hand and the cricket we want to play. But having said that, I also believe that’s the best way to prepare.”