Hardik Pandya and Mitchell Santner will lead their respective teams in the absence of senior players. (Photo: PTI/AP)
Earlier, India thrashed New Zealand and swept the recently concluded ODI series 3-0.
News
- Hardik Pandya led India to a 2-1 victory in their previous T20I series
- An addition to the squad is Prithvi Shaw, who was called up for India on the back of some superlative Ranji performances
- India and New Zealand will lock horns on Friday at Ranchi
India have some important business to take care of next month. Ahead looms the all-important Test series against Australia, which will determine their fate in the World Test Championship final, and in this light a T20 series seems meaningless.
Nevertheless, taking on the Kiwis in the opening fixture at Ranchi on Friday, at best will work as a morale booster after rolling over the visitors 3-0 in the ODI series early in the year which has the ICC 50-over World Cup.
Going with the trend of the T20s against Sri Lanka earlier this month, Hardik Pandya, who led the team to a 2-1 win, is back leading a bunch of regulars and fringe players.
Skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami have been rested, allowing Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan and Kuldeep Yadav an extended run before the camp in Nagpur for the Tests.
An addition this time is Mumbai opener Prithvi Shaw, who has broken back into the national squad after more than a year on the back of some superlative Ranji performances, including a record-breaking 379 against Assam.
With Shaw’s inclusion, it remains to be seen if Pandya will change the opening combination of Gill and wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan.
Gill has been prolific in ODIs with a career-best 208 to go with two centuries in the last four innings. He is yet to show that touch in T20s but has given ample proof that he has the shots to cement his place as an opener.
Suryakumar had a quiet ODI series against New Zealand but when it comes to T20s, the 360-degree approach can spell doom for any opponent.
It’s the bowling that could be a concern.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh was in the eye of a storm against Sri Lanka by conceding 37 runs in two overs as India lost the T20I in Pune, and he will look to make amends.
The bright spot was Shivam Mavi in an impressive debut against the Lankans, and he will look to form a potent combination with Umran Malik.
It will be a toss-up between Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, but with the latter the preferred option in this format, the trend could continue in the absence of Axar Patel.
Despite the dominance in the ODIs, India can expect a fightback by the Kiwis, led by Mitchell Santner, who have the names to deliver.
Prominent among them are Devon Conway, who scored 138 from 100 balls as they gave India a scare in the defence of 386 at Indore.
Michael Bracewell too was at his consistent best with 188 runs from three matches and will look to carry the momentum.
Teams (from)
India: Hardik Pandya (captain), Suryakumar Yadav (vice-captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi and Mukesh Kumar.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wk), Dane Cleaver (wk), Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Benjamin Lister, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips (wk), Michael Rippon, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi and Blair Tickner.
Match starts: 7.30pm.
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