Cricket: The Black Caps' 2019 World Cup puzzle

Colin Munro celebrates the run-out of Vijay Shankar. Munro could emerge as a possible all-rounder. Photo / Photosport

Henry locks in new ball spot but Kiwis no closer to settling on best all-round option.

The Black Caps fast bowlers are back in the swing of things but their all-rounder puzzle has just become harder to solve.

Inspired swing bowling from Matt Henry and Trent Boult reduced India to 18-4 at Westpac Stadium yesterday, but no other New Zealand bowler could produce the same threat, as the visitors recovered to post 252 on their way to victory in the fifth and final ODI.

After Henry and Boult knocked over the vaunted Indian top order, Ambati Rayudu (90) and Vijay Shankar (45) added 98 for the fifth wicket, before Kedar Jadhav (34) and Hardik Pandya (45 from 22 balls) completed a rearguard recovery.

Henry claimed 4-35 and Boult 3-39, and their renewed potency put the Black Caps bowling attack in a much better position than they found themselves in two games ago, where nobody could stop India's batting dominance.

However, while Boult and Henry combined for 7-74 from their 19.5 overs, the other 30 overs saw just one wicket claimed for 166 runs as India first rebuilt, then attacked.

Arguably, New Zealand were a specialist bowler short, with five all-rounders combining for the 30 overs, and raising some legitimate selection quandaries in the middle order.

Those all-rounder selection debates could now also include Colin Munro, who got through 10 overs of valuable medium pace, restricting India during the middle overs.

Munro proved hard to get away, bowling an excellent line and length, taking the pace off the ball, as his first eight overs went for just 25 runs.

Rayudu smacked two sixes off his last three balls to sully his figures somewhat, but Munro proved by far the most effective bowler of all the all-round options.

While Munro was recalled to the team as an opener in place of the injured Martin Guptill, making just 24, if the Black Caps stick with their preferred opening partnership of Guptill and Henry Nicholls, it could give him an avenue to claim a spot in the middle order.

A potentially devastating finisher with the bat, if Munro can also produce with the ball, he could become an alluring option for the balance of the side, especially when compared with the bevy of all-rounders jostling for position.

Munro joins Doug Bracewell, Todd Astle, Mitchell Santner, Colin de Grandhomme and Jimmy Neesham as all-round options in the middle order, and none particularly stood out from the pack in the India series.

Bracewell had his moments with the bat but claimed just the solitary wicket in three matches, while the returns from injury of Astle and Neesham could have gone better — barely needed in the fourth ODI, and taken for 68 from their combined 10 overs yesterday, before Neesham bashed an impressive 44 with the bat.

Additionally, de Grandhomme has fluctuated wildly with the ball all series and has struggled for runs all summer, and while Santner's been the best of the lot, he was required for only three overs in Wellington on a wicket that didn't offer much to spinners.

Such conditions will have a major role in which all-rounders make the XI come World Cup time, but with Santner a probable starter on most surfaces, and Neesham, Munro and de Grandhomme likely squad members, it leaves Astle and Bracewell on the outside looking in, for now.

And after Bracewell and Tim Southee had their chance, Henry now looks the man to partner Boult with the new ball.

It promises to be a compelling combination — if they have the right balance of all-rounders in support.