Last Updated on 7 years by Charbel Coorey
So just like that, we move onto the T20Is after a pretty awesome ODI series, and India will farewell a fine servant in Ashish Nehra.
What I like about the upcoming series is that New Zealand are here to prove that they deserve to be the number 1 ranked team in T20I cricket.
Is there a tougher place in the world to prove that than in India? I don’t think so. If New Zealand win in India, lock them in as the real deal.
There are so many things to look forward to in this 1st T20I…
The beautiful touch of Rohit Sharma, the wonderful but powerful elegance of Virat Kohli and the best death bowler in the world right now, Jasprit Bumrah. India will also be desperate to send out Ashish Nehra on a high.
New Zealand boast terrific talent too… The power and proven class of Martin Guptill, the world class Kane Williamson, who was back in the runs in the 3rd ODI, and the talented New Zealand spinners, who had an amazing outing the last time they played a T20I in India.
India will want to continue their winning momentum since the Champions Trophy, while New Zealand will be out to avenge the close ODI series loss, and prove their performance wasn’t a fluke.
It all makes for a fascinating contest.
Key to an India win
Death bowling.
Jasprit Bumrah, who was really unlucky not to get Man of the Match, got his team home in the 3rd ODI with brilliant bowling at the death. His 3/47 in a high scoring match shows that he deserves the no. 3 ODI bowling ranking, and he’ll want to transfer that form to the T20I format.
India’s batting also holds the key for them, but with good death bowling, there’ll be less pressure on the batsmen.
Key to a New Zealand win
Everything needs to click for New Zealand to win in India, but the performance of their top 5 holds key.
The statistics say that teams who lose three or more wickets inside the first six overs go on to lose approximately 80% of the time. New Zealand must avoid this – they need to use their firepower to cause India headaches.
Colin Munro hit form with a strong 62-ball 75 in the 3rd ODI, Kane Williamson hit 64, Tom Latham had a superb ODI series, and Ross Taylor was in the runs, too. The missing piece of the puzzle is Martin Guptill, who New Zealand need a good score from.
Who needs to step up?
For India, it’s Hardik Pandya. His statistics, which you’ll see below, are not representative of his talent. His time to stand up is now.
For New Zealand, it’s Martin Guptill. He had a quiet ODI series, and New Zealand will need him to step up if they are to win.
Predicted lineups:
For India, do they stick with the same lineup that delivered their seventh straight ODI series win? Will loyalty be shown to Manish Pandey? Ashish Nehra will play his final game in front of his home crowd.
India: 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (c), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Kedar Yadhav, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Ashish Nehra
For New Zealand, I expect to see Henry Nicholls replaced with Glenn Phillips. It will also be interesting to see the role Tom Latham plays in the T20I format and also whether New Zealand want to go with an extra spinner, depending on the conditions.
New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Kane Williamson (c), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Ish Sodhi/Adam Milne, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent Boult
Stats & Facts:
- If India win the series 3-0, they will move up to second place in the rankings. New Zealand would move from first to fifth.
- New Zealand have never lost a T20I v India (5 wins)
- Martin Guptill has scored five fifties in his last ten T20I innings.
- Virat Kohli is 38 runs away from replacing Tillakaratne Dilshan as the second highest T20I run scorer. His average of 52.91 is easily the best among the top 50 run scorers in the format.
- Pressure on Hardik Pandya? In 21 T20Is, Hardik averages 11 with the bat, and concedes nearly 8 an over with the ball. He is considered a very talented cricketer, but his numbers don’t show that in T20I cricket. He needs to deliver.
- The last time New Zealand played in India in a T20I was in the 2016 World T20, where they skittled India out for 79. Mitchell Santner took 4/11, and Ish Sodhi 3/18 on an unforgettable night for the New Zealand spinners.
- Ashish Nehra will finish with 164 internationals for India – a fine servant.
Prediction
New Zealand put on a wonderful show in the ODI series, and they’ll be competitive again.
India on their own turf, though, led by the incredible Virat Kohli (who is the highest run-getter in all formats this year) will be a tough ask. India will send out Ashish Nehra with a win, but by a small margin.
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