What

The first of the five ODIs to be played between the buoyant India, testing out youngsters, and a strong New Zealand limited-overs’ side

When

November 28, 2010. The game begins at 8.30 am, IST.

Where

Nehru Stadium, Guwahati

The teams:

Both teams have made drastic changes to their squads for the series with ODI specialists making way for many of the players from the Test series. India virtually has a new look to its batting department with Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan, Saurabh Tiwary and Yuvraj Singh coming in for Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. Even Wriddhiman Saha has been included to give MS Dhoni a much-needed break. Bowlers Munaf Patel, Vinay Kumar and Ravichandran Ashwin have been given an opportunity to prove their merit ahead of the 2011 ICC ODI World Cup.

The core of the New Zealand Test unit – Daniel Vettori, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Gareth Hopkins and Tim Southee - is still part of the ODI squad. But what should boost the Kiwis’ chances is the inclusion of Scott Styris, Nathan McCullum and Daryl Tuffey – players with established reputations in the ODI arena. Also, New Zealand would be inspired to undo the damage caused by their dire 4-0 loss to Bangladesh in their last ODI series played in October 2010.

The venue (quick facts):

Nehru Stadium, Guwahati

Established: 1983

ODIs hosted: 13

India record: Wins - 5 – Losses - 4

New Zealand record: Wins- 1 – Losses - 2

Highest Total: India 333/6 v Zimbabwe – March 19, 2002

Lowest Total: India 135 all out (41.3 overs) v West Indies – December 23, 1987

Highest score: Dinesh Mongia – 159* v Zimbabwe - March 19, 2002

Best bowling figures in an innings: Robin Singh: 5-0-22-5 v Sri Lanka – December 22, 1997

The Teams (from):

India: Gautam Gambhir (c), Murali Vijay, Saurabh Tiwary, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, S Sreesanth and Vinay Kumar

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (c), Brendon McCullum, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Ross Taylor, Nathan McCullum, Kane Williamson, Gareth Hopkins (wk), Tim Southee, Andy McMay, James Franklin, Kyle Mills, Scott Styris and Daryl Tuffey.