A brilliant batting display gave New Zealand victory in the first ODI against India and they should be in good heart for Sunday's second game in Hamilton.
The three-match series is available to watch on Sports Live Streaming and India, captained by veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan on this tour, are aiming to snap a five-game ODI losing streak against the Black Caps, dating back to the semi-final of the 2019 World Cup at Old Trafford.
What: New Zealand vs India, 2nd ODI
Where: Seddon Park, Hamilton, New Zealand
When: 01:30, Sunday 27th November
How to watch: Live on BT Sport 1 and Sports Live Streaming
Odds: New Zealand 4/6, India 6/5
Latham showcases depth of New Zealand batting talent
If you asked New Zealand cricket fans to name their side's most destructive white-ball batsmen then Tom Latham would probably come a fair way down the list.
Best known as a gritty Test opener, Latham showed his versatility in the first ODI against India with a commanding unbeaten innings of 145 off 104 balls which steered the hosts to a target of 307 with 17 balls to spare.
Kane Williamson played an admirable supporting role at Eden Park in Auckland, finishing on 94 not out, but Latham was the undisputed matchwinner, hitting a six and four fours off the 40th over of the innings, bowled by Shardul Thakur, to break the back of the chase.
Latham averages 65 after 18 ODIs against India, also scoring an unbeaten century in a successful run-chase at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium in 2017, and the number five is 5/1 to be New Zealand's top team batter on Sunday.
He has fond memories of Sunday's venue, Seddon Park in Hamilton, where his last four Test scores were 86 against the West Indies, 105 and 18 against England, and 161 against Bangladesh, and he will be hoping to help 4/6 New Zealand take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series against 6/5 shots India.
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Latham has an excellent individual one-day record against India and New Zealand as a team have had a hold over the cricketing powerhouses recently.
The Kiwis, beaten in the last two 50-over World Cup finals, have won six of their last seven ODIs against India including victories in Hamilton in January 2019 and February 2020.
In 2019, India were bowled out for just 92, with number 10 Yuzvendra Chahal top-scoring for the tourists, while a year later they lost a high-scoring encounter after posting 347-4 batting first.
Trent Boult and Ross Taylor, New Zealand's star performers in those two victories, are not involved in this series and India skipper Dhawan is 7/1 to be named Player Of The Match.
The opener claimed the award at Seddon Park in India's 2015 World Cup win over Ireland, scoring 100 off 85 balls, and after a poor ODI series against South Africa in October he made 72 in the first ODI against New Zealand.
His fellow opener Shubman Gill also reached 50 in the series opener, albeit in more sedate fashion, and following their first-wicket stand of 124 at Eden Park, India look a tempting bet at 10/11 to have the highest opening partnership.
Kiwi bowlers should be wary of in-form Iyer New Zealand are on a formidable ODI run at Seddon Park, winning 10 of their last 11 50-over internationals in Hamilton, and their only defeat in that time came in a rain-affected clash with South Africa in 2017.
However, they will be wary of India's Shreyas Iyer, who clearly relishes batting in New Zealand after scores of 103 (at Seddon Park), 52 and 62 in last year's three-match series.
Nailing down a spot in India's white-ball batting unit is never easy but, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli rested for this tour, Iyer looks determined to seize his opportunity.
Having racked up scores of 54, 63, 44, 50, 113 not out and 28 not out in his last two ODI series against the West Indies and South Africa, he made a fluent 80 in the first game in Auckland, which was the highest score of India's innings.
The classy right-hander's value is no secret to Indian Premier League franchises as he has captained both Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders and, batting at number three, Iyer is worth backing at 7/2 to be India's top team batter.
