IND vs NZ 2026: I’ll rely on Kyle Jamieson to lead the attack in ODI series, says Bracewell

New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell said he would rely on all-rounder Kyle Jamieson to lead the pace attack and confirmed an ODI debut for Kristian Clarke in the opening match against India. The top two ranked ODI teams are set to face off in the series opener in Vadodara on Sunday.

Bracewell also acknowledged that New Zealand’s batting unit is more experienced and will be a strong force against the Indian bowling attack. He added that there will be plenty of opportunities for younger players to step in and make significant contributions for the team.

“We have Kyle Jamieson, who's been around the game a long time and has plenty of experience. I'll be leaning a lot on him as captain to lead the bowling attack. He's a very skilful bowler. We're still working through the last of our (playing) XI, but I can confirm that Kristian Clarke is making his debut tomorrow (Sunday) so it's an exciting chance for him. We're really excited about how he's been bowling in domestic cricket in New Zealand and also in the build-up over here,” said Bracewell to reporters as quoted by NDTV Sports.

“If you look at the experience on our side, it's in the batting department, which is fortunate. We know that our batting side is going to be strong and then there's plenty of opportunities for young guys to come in,” he added.

Bracewell said that ahead of the series against India, the team has been fortunate to spend some extra time in the local conditions, which he believes will be a major advantage for the T20 World Cup 2026. However, he added that the current focus remains firmly on the ongoing ODI series.

“We perhaps don't have the experience that we normally have on our side. But in saying that, we come in here with high expectations on how we're going to play. We want to gain some experience of playing in these conditions and put on a good show for it. It's a huge benefit to being here this far out from the (T20) World Cup. We're certainly concentrating on this ODI series and want to have a big impact tomorrow,” said Bracewell.

“The fortunate thing is that we get to spend a bit more time in these conditions and hone our skills in these foreign conditions to us. There's a group of us here that have been here for a little bit longer doing some commercial commitments in Mumbai,” he added.

The all-rounder expressed confidence that leg-spinner Adithya Ashok would perform well if given an opportunity. He also acknowledged that playing conditions in India are different, particularly due to the presence of packed stadiums.

"He's tall and bowls quickly, gives the ball a good spin. We're excited to see what he has in this series. I'm sure he'll go really well. He's been bowling brilliantly in the nets,” said Bracewell.

“There are plenty of distractions over here, that's for sure. We (are not) used to in New Zealand, particularly in domestic cricket, to play in front of many people, so to come here in front of a sold-out crowd of 40,000 is a little bit different for a few guys in the group. But we've spoken about that and what to expect when you walk out onto the field,” he added.

Bracewell stated that Devon Conway and Glenn Phillips have considerable experience playing in Indian conditions and in front of packed Indian crowds. He also praised the BCA Stadium, which will host the first men’s international match, for its facilities.

"Devon (Conway) has played a lot over here and he's been really keen to share the experiences that he's had, whether it's international cricket or in the IPL. Glenn Phillips is also someone who's played a lot of cricket,” said Bracewell.

“(It's) a new facility so everything seems state-of-the-art and yeah, great facilities. It looks like an absolutely amazing outfield, one thing that stood out to me. I had to pick up some grass and see if it was real,” he added.