After losing the first ODI in Hamilton, Team India will look to bounce back and take the ongoing three-match series into the decider when they take on New Zealand at the Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, 8 February.
New Zealand opener Martin Guptill has been out of form since a long time now and will look to make a comeback at the Eden Park in Auckland.
It’s a happy hunting ground for the right-hand opener as he has scored 739 runs at an impressive average of 61.58 at Eden Park.
On Wednesday, India couldn't manage to defend a stiff 348-run target as New Zealand rode on Ross Taylor's unbeaten ton to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
However, Virat Kohli and boys will feel confident in their abilities to level the series and set up a decider as they did the same against Australia at home, wherein they bounced back from a 10-wicket opening defeat to take the series 2-1.
The main area of concern for Kohli will be their bowling which has been a touch expensive. Both spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja went for plenty in the first game and even pacers, including Jasprit Bumrah, failed to put pressure on the Kiwi batters.
While the visitors have been able to pull the game back in the death stages, the Men in Blue would be more advantaged if they are able to maintain the intensity more uniformly through the course of the innings.
The third ODI will be played at the Eden Park in Auckland where India and New Zealand have come face to face for eight times in total.
Here are some more stats and numbers from the Eden Park stadium in Auckland ahead of India’s second ODI against New Zealand:
- Sri Lanka's 189-run triumph over New Zealand on 6 January 2007 remains the biggest win in terms of runs at Eden Park, Auckland in ODIs.
- Virender Sehwag had recorded 112 off 139 balls on 11 January 2003 - the only century by an Indian batsman against New Zealand at this venue in ODIs.
- In the 2013-14 ODI series in New Zealand against India, Corey Anderson (NZ) had become the first New Zealand all-rounder to manage 100-plus runs and bag ten wickets in a bilateral ODI series - 120 (68.00) runs and 10 wickets (ave 18.10) in three matches.
- New Zealand have won four and lost three out of eight ODIs played against India at Eden Park, Auckland. (Tied one)
- The last match played between the two teams at this venue on 25 January 2014 had produced a tie. Batting first New Zealand scored 314 off 50 overs. In reply, India posted 314 for nine off 50 overs.
- The Auckland tie on 25 January 2014 is one of the four ODIs when both the teams have produced 300-plus totals.
- In the Auckland ODI on 25 January 2014 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (50), Ravichandran Ashwin (65) and Ravindra Jadeja (66 not out) had provided the only instance of number 6, 7 & 8 recording fifties in the same ODI innings.
- Ravindra Jadeja's unbeaten 66 off 45 balls on 25 January 2014 remains the third highest by India's number eight batsman in ODIs.
- Sri Lanka's nine-wicket triumph over New Zealand on 6 February 2001 remains the biggest in terms of wickets by any team at this venue in ODIs.
- Martin Guptill had scored 111 off 129 balls on 25 January 2014 - the only hundred by a New Zealand batsman against India at this venue.
- Martin Guptill had posted 122 not out off 135 balls on ODI debut against West Indies at Auckland on 10 January 2009 - the first New Zealand batsman to record a hundred on ODI debut.
- Mohammed Shami had figures of two for 84 off ten overs at Eden Park, Auckland on 25 January 2014 - the most runs conceded by a bowler in an ODI at this venue. His figures are his worst in terms of runs conceded in an ODI.
- Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson had shared a stand of 159 for the second wicket against Pakistan on 31 January 2016 - the highest for the second wicket in ODIs at this venue.
- Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina were involved in a stand of 196 (unbroken) for the fifth wicket against Zimbabwe on 14 March 2015 - the highest partnership for any wicket at this venue.
- Twenty three sixes were recorded in the India vs New Zealand encounter on 25 January 2014 - the most in an Auckland ODI.
- Jacob Oram (5/26) had produced his career-best figures against India at this venue on 26 December 2002.
- Javagal Srinath has recorded the top two bowling performances for India at Eden Park - 4 for 23 (his best performance in 30 ODIs against New Zealand) on 26 December 2002 and 3 for 13 on 11 January 2003.
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