Want to Be as Positive as Possible Against India: Martin Guptill

Martin Guptill has not scored a half-century since New Zealand’s first match of the 2019 World Cup.

Martin Guptill is not enjoying the best of forms in ODIs given he has not scored a hundred in his last 10 games.

(Photo: Twitter/@ICC)

Following their emphatic win over India in Hamilton, New Zealand opener Martin Guptill has stated his team will once again come out with a positive frame of mind against the Men in Blue in the second ODI to be played at Eden Park on Saturday.

New Zealand chased down a stiff 348-run target on Wednesday at Seddon Park to end a nine-match losing streak across all formats.

Guptill made 32 in an opening partnership of 85 with Henry Nicholls as Ross Taylor's brilliant hundred to help Black Caps take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

“We want to be as positive as possible. Once we get out there tomorrow, we will see how we go. If being positive means you losing two wickets early, so be it. My role does not change in the team, my role is to provide the team a quick start.”

Martin Guptill, New Zealand cricketer

The opener further said it was easier to face the Indian spinners in New Zealand as it doesn't spin much.

"It is a completely different situation. You can be a little more attacking here as the ball is not going to spin much. We can take confidence in how we played the spinners from the first match," Guptill said.

“You definitely get used to him with time, he has a unique action. We played him (Bumrah) well in the first match. We negated him from taking early wickets.”

Martin Guptill, on Jasprit Bumrah

The 33-year-old himself hasn't been in the best of forms in ODIs. He has not scored a half-century since he made 73 in the team's first match at last year's World Cup — a 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka — and has now gone 10 innings without a ton.

However, Guptill wants to make the most of the next two ODIs and desires to be a part of the World Cup squad that will travel to India in 2023.

"Absolutely," he said when asked, adding: "Pending body issues and form and things like that, hopefully, I can stick around and put enough numbers on the board to be in that squad."