Pirate Galaxy » way too long. The media has

Match factsOctober 16, 2016 Start time 1330 local (0800 GMT)Big PictureOff the top of your head, it might be difficult to remember when New Zealand last played an ODI. Number nuts would tell you it was eight months ago, but perhaps the fact that it was Brendon McCullums final ODI appearance has more instant recall value. Things arent too dissimilar in the opposite camp. Amid a heavy diet of T20s and Tests, India have not played too many games in the 50-over format. Youd have to go back to Australia in January for any ODIs India have played against top teams this year; that series aside, the only other ODIs theyve had this year was when a second-string side visited Zimbabwe in June.For both the teams, this five-match ODI series has both immediate and long-term relevance. While the 2017 Champions Trophy is the common bigger agenda, New Zealand would also dearly want to finish the tour on a high and help the scars of the 3-0 Test defeat heal.The visitors have seemingly not let that Test drubbing get to them, keeping it light with generous humour at practice and a bit of gushing over Dharamsalas gorgeous mountains. In a season where they play 24 ODIs before the Champions Trophy begins in June next year, their build up, as Luke Ronchi suggested, is expected to be gradual with different players being rested and newer players tried out at different stages.India, on the other hand, dont have the luxury of time in this format - they play only eight ODIs from now till June. India captain MS Dhoni, who usually frowns upon any reference to experimentation, admitted they have a limited window to audition players and hit upon their best combination. It is possible every member of Indias 15-man squad will get a game at some point in this series.Form guideIndia WWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first) New Zealand WLWWWIn the spotlightCorey Anderson will be relieved to return to competitive cricket after being out of action for more than six months. Given that his previous international series (the World T20) was in India, where he has also tasted considerable success in IPLs past, Anderson might be quite comfortable with the venue of this comeback series. While he has been bowling in the nets, for now his role in the team will be restricted to batting in the middle order, where his late-order hitting could prove decisive.Hardik Pandya has had a brief but eventful T20I career so far. After decent performances in the Asia Cup and the World T20, Pandyas loss of form in the IPL led to his omission for the Zimbabwe tour. Despite a mediocre outing with the India A side in Australia, the selectors have shown confidence in his all-round abilities and now he is set for an ODI debut. Should he click here, the team management will breath a lot easier about the seam-bowling allrounders position.Team newsIndia dont have the services of another comeback man, Suresh Raina - he is recovering from fever. Going by the batting and bowling sequence in Indias practice session, Mandeep Singh and Umesh Yadav are likely to sit out. On the eve of the game, Kedar Jadhav had a lengthy batting stint followed by a brief session of offspin bowling, which suggests he might be called upon to bowl a few overs in the middle stages if required. Despite bowling for nearly three-fourths of Indias nets session, it seems likely that Jayant Yadav will be superfluous to a side that has two other spinners in Amit Mishra and Axar Patel. MS Dhoni indicated he will bat slightly higher up the order, possibly at No. 5.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Dhawal KulkarniThe last time New Zealand came to India they sprung a surprise by playing three spinners in their opening game. There was not much that could be gleaned from their practice sessions on their probable XI, but there will likely be a toss-up between Ish Sodhi and either Matt Henry or Tim Southee for the second seamers position. New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Corey Anderson, 6 Luke Ronchi, 7 James Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Ish Sodhi/Matt HenryPitch and conditionsIn the lead up to the game, Dharamsala has remained fairly warm during the day before becoming considerably cooler after sunset. The forecast for Sunday is on similar lines. HPCA chief curator Sunil Chauhan said the surface will be seamer-friendly, but aid stroke-play. Im hoping for a 270-plus score, he said. The idea was to prepare a pitch that remains good for 100 overs. Dew is likely to set in by the end of the first innings and that it might help the chasing side.Stats and triviaIndia will play their 900th ODI when they face New Zealand in DharamsalaNew Zealand have never won a bilateral ODI series in IndiaRoss Taylor has the highest run aggregate (666 from 18 matches) among active players in matches played between India and New ZealandQuotesIndia is all about winning. Lets be frank. When the media talks about stuff, you only want the Indian cricket team to win. [So] it becomes difficult. If you see at the batting order, if you rest Virat or Ajinkya for a couple of games, youll be like whats really happening, why are they given rest.MS Dhoni on the difficulty of experimenting to find the best combinationIt is a completely different ball game now and it is a format where we have played good cricket over the last few years. As much as we wanted to do well in those Tests, it is gone now and now we have to focus on the five ODIs.Luke Ronchi is confident of New Zealand scrapping hard in the shorter formatMichael Strahan Jersey . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. 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Darius Slayton Youth Jersey .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury.American swimmer Ryan Lochte said the fallout from his incident at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics has been dragged out way too long, speculating that people must be sick and tired of hearing about this.Lochte once again apologized for his actions in Rio during an interview Tuesday with ABCs Good Morning America. He stressed, however, that he thinks the coverage of the incident has been blown way out of proportion.I just want to move forward and want the whole world to move forward, Lochte said. Everybodys got to be sick and tired of hearing about this. I know I am. I just want to move forward.Lochte reiterated that he was still intoxicated when he initially told NBC earlier this month that a gun had been cocked and pointed at his forehead after an altercation at a gas station involving the 11-time Olympic medalist and three of his teammates.Lochte originally said that he and Jack Conger, Gunnar Bentz and Jimmy Feigen were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi by men with a police badge as they returned to the Olympic Village from a party Aug. 15. However, security video suggested the four actually faced security guards after vandalizing a gas station restroom.Lochte left Brazil shortly after the incident. Three days later, local authorities took Conger and Bentz off an airliner heading to thhe United States so they could be questioned about the robbery claim.dddddddddddd. They were later allowed to leave Brazil, as was Feigen, after he also gave testimony. Feigen, who initially stood by Lochtes testimony, was not charged.Were just trying to get this over with, Lochte said Tuesday. Its been dragged out way too long. The media has taken this to a whole new level.Weve been talking about this way too long. There are other issues the world needs to deal with.The story that dominated the headlines during the second week of the Olympics has resulted in a wave of negative backlash for Lochte, who has issued multiple apologies and has lost endorsements with four major sponsors, including Speedo and Polo Ralph Lauren.He also apologized Tuesday to his mother, who contacted multiple media outlets the morning after the incident, and Feigen, who donated $10,800 to a Brazilian charity as part of an agreement with a judge before being allowed to leave the country.The emotional part is the hardest thing, Lochte said. The past two weeks have been the lowest part of my life ... the fans, my family, my friends have been really positive and keeping me going. ' ' '