India have started the first ODI of their ongoing tour of New Zealand without facing any criticism from a Playing XI point of view. It is the first time in their third match in New Zealand when the visitors have appeared to pick all fan-favourite players comprising of handing debuts to a couple of fast bowlers.

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Batter Sanju Samson and fast bowler Umran Malik, in particular, have saved the team management from being censured because it was the absence of these two players during the recently concluded T20I series which had irked fans back home.

With Samson doing comparatively better in ODIs on the back of scoring 248 runs across eight innings at a strike rate of 107.35 this year, he has been rewarded with a spot ahead of Deepak Hooda in the ODI XI. The development means that India have taken the field with only five bowling options.

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Debut meaning in cricket

Malik, on the other hand, is an intriguing prospect especially on fast and bouncy pitches of New Zealand. Although the 23-year old pacer couldn’t add to his three T20I appearances on this tour but he would want to leave an impact in his first ODI for India.

In addition to Malik, comparatively experienced T20I pacer Arshdeep Singh has also been handed an ODI debut by the visitors. Also 23, Singh has represented India in 21 T20Is.

As far as List A career is concerned, Singh has picked 21 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 30.95, an economy rate of 4.76 and a strike rate of 38.9. Malik, on the other hand, has picked only two wickets in three List A matches. In the 25 overs that he’s bowled in this format for Jammu & Kashmir and India A, Malik has given away 160 runs at an economy rate of 6.40.

The last instance of India handing ODI debut(s) to more than one player had been registered during the first ODI of South Africa’s tour of India when batter Ruturaj Gaikwad and spinner Ravi Bishnoi had played their first match in Lucknow last month.

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However, the last instance of India playing two debutant pacers in the same ODI had occurred during their tour of Zimbabwe in 2010 when Ashok Dinda, Umesh Yadav and R Vinay Kumar had debuted in the same match. For the unversed, debut means playing the first match of one’s career (specific to the format in today’s case).

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