India vs New Zealand, 5th ODI: Players to watch out for in Visakhapatnam

Star players Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Kane Williamson will be key to the fortunes of their respective teams.

New Delhi: The visiting New Zealand team have shown MS Dhoni & Co that they will fight till the last ball to make this tour a historic one for the Kiwis. And the series decider will be played today.

Here are our five players to watch out for at Visakhapatnam

1. Virat Kohli: The chase master has been in sublime form, and helped India win two matches, at Dharamsala and Mohali. But those occasional blips, India found themselves losing the match. After the defeat at Ranchi, India will need their batting mainstay to stay long enough to make sure that the team avoid the ignominy of losing a bilateral series to the Kiwis, for the first time.

2. MS Dhoni: The skipper has found a new purpose in his batting, so thus leadership. He promoted himself up the order, thanks to Suresh Raina's unavailability. But somehow, 'Captain Cool' has so failed to consolidate the position. A good knock, before taking a long break, will help him staying relevant ahead of next year's Champions Trophy. By the way, India will now be focusing on Test cricket, and Kohli, after today.

3. Kane Williamson: The Kiwi skipper is a prodigious talent. When he gets going, it's really tough to stop him, as witnessed in the Delhi ODI. That 118-run knock instilled the confidence the team needed to beat India at home, and they have done it again at Ranchi. He will be crucial to New Zealand's plan, as always. If he bats long enough, they will make a match out of India, batting first or chasing.

4. Tim Southee: He's probably the most underrated player in the series. The experienced bowler has shown his utility with both bat and ball, and has always fought for the team. If manages to repeat that Ranchi performance, with the ball, at Vizag, Kiwis will have a good chance to break India's backbone.

5. Amit Mishra: The veteran leg-spinner is the leading wicket-taker in the ODI series. He has taken wickets in all four previous matches, and at Vizag, his experience will hold key to India's chances. With India's new ball bowlers struggling in the last couple of matches, his middle over spells will decide which team wins today's match.