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Former New Zealand cricketer Ian Smith has named out-of-favour Martin Guptill as replacement for an injured Kane Williamson for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 which will be played in India.
Guptill was not a part of New Zealand side which toured India for limited-overs series in January this year. He was dropped after two single-digit scores against Australia. Kiwi coach Gary Stead had made it clear that the management has moved past the 36-year-old opener as Finn Allen replaced him at the top.
But Allen did not live up to the expectations in the three-ODI series as he managed to score just 46 runs. So far, he has played seven ODIs and scored 533 runs from 17 innings at an average of 31.35 including five half-centuries.
"I get where they're (selectors) going with Finn Allen but you've got to score runs," Smith was quoted as saying by SEN Radio on April 18.
"I'm sorry, he (Allen) just has to show some form for me. I still go back to Martin Guptill. Is his time over? Is he done? Should he just be put out to pasture? I do not know.
"I probably would have thought yes before Kane Williamson became unavailable with all that experience, all that knowledge, I might have said yes about Martin Guptill. I'm having second thoughts now because Finn Allen ain't doing it for me," added Smith.
Williamson got injured while fielding for defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 opener against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Guptill, who played his last ODI in September 2022, has scored 7,346 runs from 198 ODIs at an average of 41.73 including 18 centuries and 39 half-centuries. However, Guptill has an average below 30 in ODIs against India. Also, he has an unimpressive record on Indian soil with 471 runs from 18 innings at an average of 29.43.
Smith who represented New Zealand in 63 Tests and 98 ODIs lauded Devon Conway who has had a decent run in IPL 2023 for CSK. He scored a match-winning 83 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 17.
"If you look at a player like Conway -- who's tearing it up too in the IPL -- you are really asking him to see off a new ball but belt it to the fence at the same time," said Smith.
"There is risk in that, no doubt about it. In 50-over cricket, my late, great friend Martin Crowe said, 'Always let your best batsman face the most deliveries'. I mean, that's his stock-in-trade; let him face the most deliveries, fair and simple." Smith said that while Conway was all sorted, the other slots were undecided.
"I like that, I like the fact that Conway has that opportunity without Kane but it's that one, two, three, four mix that we’re not (decided on)."
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