{
  "id": 17952136,
  "title": "India's No 1 ODI ranking in danger against New Zealand",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/indias-no-1-odi-ranking-in-danger-against-new-zealand-17952136",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-03T10:27:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/cricket/2026/11/03/indias-no-1-odi-ranking-in-danger-against-new-zealand/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "India's top-ranking One Day International (ODI) side faces a potential setback in their upcoming five-match series against New Zealand, starting on Wednesday. Both teams are focusing on the crucial tour, which will serve as a test for their performances ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. While India holds the No.1 ODI ranking with 115 points, New Zealand is just 4 points behind at 109.\n\nNew Zealand has shown their dominance in bilateral series, particularly in the longer formats. After defeating India 3-0 in a Test series in their backyard, they maintained the momentum by winning the ODI series in India earlier this year. Their batting, led by Daryl Mitchell, has been the cornerstone of their success, averaging almost 75 against India, with four of his nine ODI centuries coming against the team. Glenn Phillips, who scored 341 runs in the recent T20 series, is also in excellent form.\n\nNew Zealand's pace attack, with Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy, coupled with the experienced batting lineup that participated in the recent T20 series, is expected to provide them with confidence for the upcoming ODI matches. India, on the other hand, is a mixed bag, with their top performers struggling in formats other than T20s. Captain Shubman Gill, veteran players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and KL Rahul will need to step up their game to challenge New Zealand, especially with their bowling attack facing a significant challenge as Jasprit Bumrah is rested for the Test series and Mohammad Siraj leads the quicks.\n\nThis series is crucial not only for the No.1 ODI ranking but also because it is likely to be the last time Indian cricket fans will see Kohli and Rohit play together in international cricket, as both are likely to retire after the 2027 World Cup. The high demand for tickets reflects the significance of this event, with the full tour projected to generate a surplus of around $6 million for New Zealand cricket.",
  "summary": "With the excitement of the five-match T20 series out of the way, India and New Zealand begin the most crucial leg of the all-format tour. The five-match ODI series, which begins on Wednesday, is where both sides have channelled most of their energies. We are getting closer to the 2027 ODI World Cup, after all, and conditions in Auckland should be similar to what will be on offer in South Africa,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "India vs New Zealand 1st ODI Playing 11: Rohit-Kohli return, but will Kuldeep get a game?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/india-vs-new-zealand-1st-odi-playing-11-rohit-kohli-return-but-will",
        "published": "2026-11-03T10:46:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}