India vs New Zealand: Statistical preview of 1st T20I – Virat Kohli and Co aim to exploit Kiwis’ Auckland weakness

India will look to continue their good run of form when they take on New Zealand in the upcoming T20I series. The first T20I of five-match series will be played at Eden Park in Auckland and the visitors will be eager to put their best foot forward in their month and a half long tour of the country. The home side hold a rather average record at the venue and Virat Kohli and his troops will be eager to exploit that in the curtain-raiser. However, things aren’t going to be easy as the ‘Men in Blue’ will have to be wary of threat posed by talismanic skipper Kane Williamson.

Also Read: ‘Jitna uske sar pe baal nahi hai, utne mere pas maal hai’: Akhtar to Sehwag

Let’s take a look at some important numbers and milestones that can be reached in this high-voltage clash in Auckland.

172: Average first innings score at Auckland extrapolated in completed and all-out innings, excluding rain-affected matches.

9/19: Teams batting first have had outright wins in 9 out of 19 matches and lost 7, while 3 ended up in getting tied.

1/1: India have played only once at Auckland and they won the match by 7 wickets in 2019.

10: New Zealand have lost 10 from 19 T20Is at Auckland — the most for them at any venue in T20Is.

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1: Mitchell Santner is 1 wicket away from completing 50 T20I wickets and become the third Kiwi bowler to reach this landmark after Tim Southee and Nathan McCullum. He will be the quickest NZ to this landmark in terms of matches played.

56: The difference of runs between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in T20Is for top spot. Kohli currently takes the top spot for most runs in T20Is with 2689 runs.

0: Virat Kohli has never played any T20I in New Zealand before.

0: No Indian batsman has even 100 runs in T20Is in New Zealand. The highest is 96 by Rohit Sharma in 4 T20Is.

508: Martin Guptill holds the record for scoring runs at a venue in T20Is with 508 runs in Auckland.

30 & 81: Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli are 30 & 81 runs away respectively from surpassing MS Dhoni and becoming the 2nd highest run-getter as captain in T20Is.

Also Read: RCB coach points out biggest test for Kohli ahead of first T20I in Auckland

Kohli has 1,032 runs as captain in T20Is and is behind Williamson (1083), MS Dhoni (1,112) and Faf du Plessis (1,273) in the list.

1: Guptill is 1 more fifty plus score away from having the record for most fifty plus scores at a venue in T20Is.

He has currently 5 fifty plus scores at Auckland, joint most along with Kohli at Mirpur, Dhaka and Mohammad Shahzad at Dubai.

1: Kohli is 1 fifty plus score away from becoming the captain with most fifty plus scores in T20Is.

With 8 fifty plus scores as captain, Kohli is currently holding the top spot along with Faf du Plessis in T20Is.

8: Kohli is 8 sixes away from becoming the 2nd captain to have hit 50 sixes as captain in T20Is after Eoin Morgan (62).

Also Read: ‘Dhawan’s injury will alter few plans’: Kohli suggests team combination

7: Martin Guptill is only 7 sixes behind Rohit Sharma (120) in T20IS, who holds the record for most sixes in T20Is.

3: Ish Sodhi is 3 wickets away from completing 50 wickets in T20Is.

11: Sodhi is the bowler with joint highest wickets against India in T20Is along with Umar Gul.

4: Guptill is 4 catches away from becoming the 3rd outfielder to take 50 catches in T20Is after David Miller and Shoaib Malik.

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