With the series done and dusted, India will look to pick up that first win of the tour against New Zealand, to at the very least boost their confidence ahead of the Test series, when the two sides lock horns for the 5th and final ODI at Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
Where to Watch Live
The game is scheduled for a 2 pm local time (6.30 am IST) start with live coverage on Sony Six HD and Sony Six in India. The match can also be watched via free live streaming online in India HERE. Catch the action in New Zealand HERE, while Africa viewers can live stream the match HERE. Catch all the action in the US HERE, while the match can be live streamed in the UK HERE.
New Zealand have outplayed India in all departments in this series, and deservedly stand 3-0 up after four games. The Kiwis will look to turn that screw just a little more in the 5th ODI to completely shatter India's confidence in what is essentially a dead rubber.
"Four-nil would be fantastic," Nathan McCullum said. "Consistency is the theme for us at the moment. If we continue to do things consistently well with bat and ball and in the field, then it's going to turn us into a far better team down the track.
"This is an opportunity for us to continue the good form and continue to be consistent. I guess we have surprised India with how consistent we have been. But they have still played some fantastic cricket.
"We have seen a great ODI series here and that's exciting for one-day cricket, very exciting for international cricket. They are probably a little bit hurt with how we have taken the game away from them sometimes but they are not too far off from performing to their best, so they probably have to give us a little bit of credit as well for our fantastic performances throughout the series."
While it has been an exciting ODI series, the Indian camp will be a bit deflated after seeing New Zealand, time and again, come up trumps in the crucial phases. The pitch for the 4th ODI was more suited to Indian batsmen and bowlers than the home side, yet the visitors could not take advantage, something that MS Dhoni will certainly be alarmed about.
"It is just that we panic a bit and we have to reduce that percentage, those little errors," one of the few bright sparks in the series from India's perspective Ravindra Jadeja said. "I don't think there is any major problem as to why we are not clicking in batting and bowling.
"We just need to avoid panicking and we can get positive results. We want to win. We will have to win to keep a good morale for the Test series and going forward on the tour. We have to be positive and give 100 percent for there is nothing left to think now. We know our calibre and our capability and we have already done it in the past, in overseas conditions as well. I don't think there is a big difference in what the two sides are doing at the moment. It is about small things."
Well, after the first four ODIs, one thing is for sure, New Zealand are winning the contest for the "small things" rather handsomely.
Team news: New Zealand: The home side have named rookie Matt Henry in their squad, but it remains to be seen whether the pace bowler will be given an opportunity, what with the present quartet doing splendidly well. Brendon McCullum might decide to rest a couple of players, with Corey Anderson again likely to be given a break, after having won the series, but will also be equally keen to keep the pressure on their opponents.
India: Stuart Binny had a debut to forget in the 4th ODI - not given a chance to bat, while only asked to bowl the one over by Dhoni. The all-rounder might be wondering if he will get another chance on Friday. Shikhar Dhawan is likely to return to the lineup, after the move to push Virat Kohli up as an opener did not come off.
Expected lineups: New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Jesse Ryder, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum (capt), James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Nathan McCullum, Mitchell McClenaghan, Hamish Bennett, Kyle Mills.
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma.
