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| Edited By: G Krishnan |Source: DNA webdesk |Updated: Oct 22, 2017, 03:47 PM IST
India are taking on New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. The Men in Blue, who have been performing exceedingly well at home, will be keen to maintain the momentum. It is very special day for skipper Virat Kohli, who is playing his 200th ODI.
DNA brings you not only the live updates and commentary of the match but also all the activity from the Wankhede off and on the field- here are some snippets from the first one-dayer in Mumbai:
LIVE: India vs New Zealand, 1st ODI, Score and updates
Keeping up with humidity
The humid Sunday afternoon was making everyone uncomfortable. Particularly the television commentators, who have to be attired in coats and full sleeves and ties. The legendary Sunil Gavaskar was wiping his sweat constantly that during the little break he got from doing TV stint from the ground before the start of the match, he escaped to the cool confines of the commentator’s box.
“You are properly dressed,” he remarked to a journalist who was in shorts and T-shirt as he got into the lift. “It is so hot and we have no choice but to be in the heat in a coat.” Gavaskar tells this diarist he had just returned in the morning from the USA, where he was handed over the keys to the cricket ground named after him – Sunil M. Gavaskar Cricket Field – in Louisville, Kentucky, on October 15.
Mid-day jog to start his 200th ODI
It was half past noon and the temperature was around 32 degree Celcius but the real feel was close to 40 degress. But thorough professionals that today’s cricketers are, Virat Kohli began his 200th ODI appearance by jogging along the boundary rope with Ajinkya Rahane for company. Those already in attendance cheered loudly when Kohli and Rahane went past them, cheering him on in the humid conditions. After doing one full round to warm up for his milestone match, Kohli got down to the pre-match routine before going for the toss, which went in his favour.
Lining up for national anthem
Each national team has its own policy when it comes to the national anthem before an international game. All the 15 players of the Indian squad line up for the anthem while England and Australia have their playing XI on the field for their anthems. On Sunday, New Zealand had 13 including the two reserves Tom Bruce, who is not in the ODI squad but in the T20 squad that follows the three-match series, and George Worker.
It is usually the New Zealand playing XI plus the 12th man who line up for the anthem, this diarist learns, while the reserves and support staff stand at the dressing room. Perhaps, Bruce and Worker were doing the 12th and 13th man’s duties and already on the ground ready with their water supplies to keep his mates hydrated, and hence joined their playing XI. Bruce was also on the field as substitute early in the Indian innings manning the third-man boundary.
From jersey No. 10 to 54
India’s rookie medium-pacer Shardul Thakur, who made his ODI debut in Sri Lanka recently, was in the news largely for wearing '10', the same number that belonged to the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Though BCCI has not officially retired jersey No. 10, Thakur seems to have done it on his own. Perhaps, he not able to withstand being trolled in the social media despite having his own reasons for wearing '10, Thakur will be wearing jersey No. 54 in this series, should be get a chance. The official reason for changing from ‘10’ to ‘54’ is being awaited. Thakur, though, did not figure in the playing 11 on Sunday.
