After a thrilling T20 World Cup, we return to bilateral series with India touring New Zealand for the T20Is and ODIs later. A long road for India, both on this tour and also on the journey of mastering the T20s. With one more T20 World Cup lost, they have to quickly move past it, and start rebuilding for the next one which is already quite close. Same goes for New Zealand. In a way, it is fitting the two losing semi-finalists meet so quickly after the World Cup and redo their strategies and plans for the road ahead.
Both the teams will be fielding a different T20 sides than the World Cup one. The players who featured in the World Cup might be feeling a little jaded after a long and tiring tournament. Hence, a few players have asked for rest. Some big names missing, particularly for India. Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami are the key players sitting out vs New
Zealand as they needed a break.
Not to forget, India play Test series quickly after this tour comes to end, so these players may be needed to refresh themselves. It is a good thing for India when you think of the future plans. With Rohit and the likes missing, it is an opportunity for some new guys. That is what selectors also must have thought and there is enough reason behind selecting this squad.
What’s interesting to see is some exciting names on paper. One of them is Umran Malik. I feel India need a pacer like him, someone who call bowl fast. With Shami given rest, Umran comes in and he will only grow stronger from here as he l earns. Umran’s pace and bounce can be gamechanging in New Zealand and once again, he will be engaged in a mini-battle of his own with New Zealand pace machine Lockie Ferguson. They were at loggerheads to clock the fastest delivery in IPL 2022. They will be back in the same little contest of their own and fans won’t mind it. Mohammed Siraj also gets a nod. Umran and Siraj in tandem will be beautiful to watch in New Zealand conditions. One swings it big, the other bowls very fast.
From India’s perspective, Sanju Samson’s selection is also good news. He is someone who lights up IPL almost every year he plays but unfortunately, his exploits in international cricket are not much heartwarming. He gets another go in an India shirt and I feel Samson is a player for the future for India. He must step up this time and deliver. Shreyas Iyer is back too. Another massive talent who is a certain pick in ODIs but in T20Is, he needs to prove a little more to become a certainty.
Hardik Pandya taking over captaincy is not a bad thing at all. He did that in IPL and it well for him. It would not be wrong to say that Hardik has now become an inspiration for the youngsters, especially those who look to do well in T20s. He leading the side is only right for Team India.
Also with Rishabh Pant as vice-captain, you can see now that there is an eye for the future as far as selection of the squad is concerned. I also like seeing someone like Shubman Gill getting an opportunity. There is a high chance that Gill and Pant might open the innings. Not to forget, there is Ishan Kishan in the mix as well.
This series bodes well for different guys getting an opportunity to play bit of international cricket, to get back in Indian colours. To keep the selectors and their thought process open in terms of the canvas they want to paint moving forward.
On the other side, you have New Zealand, also looking at the 2024 T20 World Cup, which is just 18 months away. That means these teams do not have much time and must act quickly.
I am quite curious about the Kane Williamson scenario. A lot of us have been critical of him in T20s. I wonder how long does he want to continue playing all three formats given the calendar is so much busy and intense. The schedule of the international players is very tight. H is low strike rate is not helping much either. Kane’s strike rate has been around 110 in recent times in T20s and honestly it needs to be somewhere around 130 at least if you are batting in top 3. How he and New Zealand Cricket deal with this scenario in the coming months will be an interesting watch.
I like when I see Finn Allen in the squad and his selection is justifiable for what we have seen in the recently-concluded World Cup. Tim Southee will no more bowl with Trent Boult in the upcoming series as the left-arm pacer has no central contract and it is fair that somebody else gets a look in now. I am eager to watch many, particularly Blair Tickner. He looks like an exciting talent.
Adam Milne and Ferguson still there, which means New Zealand still have fire in their pace department. They have also still got the spin bowling pair of Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner with all their experience. Michael Bracewell was in the T20 World Cup squad but he did not play any game as they kept playing the same five bowlers in the tournament. Keep an eye on him. Glenn Phillips is exciting. I would like to see if Daryl Mitchell can bowl a little in this series as New Zealand will need his bowling going ahead. It is among the many questions NZ want answers for in the T20 series.
I feel that Black Caps tick a lot of boxes in their conditions and India will need to come out hard at them to win. Let’s hope for a highly-competitive series.
