India tour of New Zealand 2022: Hardik Pandya will lead a young group in a 3-match T20I series in New Zealand. In the absence of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, it’s audition time for the young guns.
Will Umran Malik be picked in the XI for the 1st T20I in New Zealand? (PTI Photo)
By India Today Web Desk: India will look to make a fresh start following their World Cup heartbreak as they take on New Zealand in a 3-match T20I series from November 18. The first of the 3-match series will be played at the SKY Stadium in Wellington.
India have ‘rested’ their senior campaigners, including captain Rohit Sharma along with Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. Hardik Pandya was named as the stand-in captain for the T20I series, but there is plenty of talk about giving the all-rounder the captain’s armband on a permanent basis in the shortest format of the game.
India’s approach in the T20 World Cup was questioned as they had promised proactive and fearless cricket in the lead-up to the tournament. However, there wasn’t a lot of proactiveness or fearlessness, especially in the powerplays where India’s top 3 of Rohit, Kohli and Rahul took conservative approaches. The Big 3’s place in the T20I side has been questioned but it remains to be seen if India would make wholsale changes after the World Cup exit.
However, the upcoming New Zealand series is a perfect platform for those who are waiting in the wings to step up and put their hand up for places in the T20I set-up. Stand-in coach VVS Laxman, who has filled-in for Rahul Dravid after the latter was rested, has already suggested that India’s process of identifying T20I specialists will start from the series in New Zealand.
While Hardik will lead the side, there have been plenty of young names picked in the T20I squad. India have a problem of plenty to choose from and it will be interesting to see if the ones picked for the series opener will get a consistent run throughout the series.
PANT AS OPENER?
In the absence of Rohit and Rahul, India have plenty of options for the opening slots. It is likely that Ishan Kishan will return to the top after having missed the bus for the T20 World Cup.
Young Shubman Gill, who has been impressive in ODIs in the recent past, might get to make his T20I debut for India on Friday. Rishabh Pant, who was not the first-choice wicketkeeper in Dinesh Karthik’s presence at the T20 World Cup, has also opened in the past for India and the team management might be tempted to try the big-hitter at the top once again.
Shreyas Iyer and Surayakumar Yadav are set to form the pillars of the batting unit in the T20I series. Iyer will be keen on making an impact after having failed to make the 15-man World Cup squad.
WILL SAMSON GET IN?
India will also be keen on giving Sanju Samson a consistent run in T20Is. The Rajasthan Royals captain was earmarked for the World Cup in Australia by captain Rohit Sharma but he was not in the scheme of things in the lead-up to the tournament. Samson’s ability to go big from the word go might be the recipe that India are looking for in the shortest format of the game.
TIME FOR SUNDAR, UMRAN TO RETURN?
India also have plenty of options to choose from in the spin-bowling department but all-rounder Washington Sundar, who was a regular member of the T20I team before he was hampered by injury issues, might be given an opportunity to reclaim his place in the side.
It will also be a toss-up between wrist-spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. While Chahal warmed the benches in the World Cup even as fellow wrist-spinners were making a mark on Australian pitches, Kuldeep will have to prove his mettle to climb up the pecking order in T20Is.
It will also be interesting to see if India give Umran Malik another go. The tearaway pacer, who can consistently clock in excess of 145kph, has played 3 T20Is but India did not consider him for the World Cup. Umran showed flashes of brilliance but conceded at 12.44 in the 3 T20Is he played in June-July.
The team management will be tempted to show faith in Umran and give him a longer rope in T20Is, but it remains to be seen if New Zealand, with its short boundaries, is the ideal place to bring Umran back into the XI.
India also have senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh from the World Cup and included Mohammed Siraj to the line-up. Harshal Patel, who warmed the benches in the World Cup, will also be keen on winning his place back.
On the other hand, New Zealand have a settled line-up with most of their World Cup stars returning to action. Trent Boult and Martin Guptill are mssing from action in the 3-match T20I series.
Predicted XIs: NZ vs IND, 1st T20I
India: Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (c), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway (c), Kane Williamson (c), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson, Blair Tickner
INDIA SQUAD
Hardik Pandya (C), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (VC and WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik
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