Surface tension to begin India-New Zealand series with

The last time India played an ODI at the Wankhede, South Africa amassed 438 runs and crushed the hosts by 214, boasting of three centurions in Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers.

And, on the same pitch where the Proteas batsmen made merry, the Indians danced to the tunes of the pace duo of Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada under lights. The huge defeat left the then Team Director Ravi Shastri and bowling coach Bharat Arun fuming at the curator Sudhir Naik, with the latter alleging that he was abused by them.

The Shastri-Arun combo is back at the helm, and so are the Indians at the Wankhede for the first ODI on Sunday against a competitive New Zealand side

But so much has changed since that October 2015 night in terms of matches played here – there were World T20 matches, two seasons of IPL and a Test against England – that the surface is expected to not be as flat as it was against South Africa.

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson termed the pitch as "a good surface" as the Wankhede has generally been. This means that spinners could look for some rewards.

Irrespective of the nature of the pitch, India have been on a roll. They have reached lofty heights with the kind of personnel at their disposal. If the arrival of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who can change the complexion of the game with his six-hitting abilities at will, wasn't enough, the domination in Indian conditions of the wrist spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav has added extra might.

"They (Yadav and Chahal) are so good together that it is tempting to play them every game together," said Kohli on the eve of the match here on Saturday.

Such has been the strength of the Indian team that they cannot fit in Ajinkya Rahane in the playing XI despite the Mumbaikar notching up seven fifties including four back-to-back and a hundred in his last 11 ODI innings. Rahane got these games as one of the first-choice openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan was unavailable. Now with the two back, Rahane has to make way.

Kohli said the team management did not want to "confuse Rahane too much with making him play in the middle order because you need to find your game in ODI cricket", adding that "he is in a happy space and knows whenever someone who is not going through a good phase or there is an injury coming up, he is there right at the door step waiting to play a game whenever the team requires him to".

It may be unfair on Rahane, one might think, but there is no room for sentiments in the current Indian set up.

Kiwis fresher

The Black Caps come into the short three-match ODI and T20I series fresh after having had a break from international since Champions Trophy in June.

India have been playing continuously, travelling to the West Indies, Sri Lanka while also finishing a home series against Australia.

It prompted Kohli to remark: "New Zealand haven't played any international cricket after Champions Trophy. There has been such a good lay off. It can be the difference in doing well in a big tournament and not being able to do well."

After a short break for Diwali since winning the ODI series against Australia 4-1 and drawing the T20I series 1-1, India had two rigorous nets to get into the groove.

New Zealand, on the other hand, have had quality time acclimatising to the conditions, coming from their winter to the humid sub-continent weather. They have also had two meaningful warm-up matches with all their batsmen having some knock in the middle and their bowlers getting some overs to get into the rhythm.

The Kiwis have been the only team in recent months that has given India a run for their money, tying 2-all in 2016 going into the decider in Visakhapatnam, where they undid all their good work to surrender meekly to the leg-spin of Amit Mishra.

New Zealand are wiser with that experience and will hope to challenge Kohli & Co this time too, but they know it is not going to be easy against this all-conquering and different-looking Team India.