After the recent T20 World Cup debacle in Australia, India is all set to make another ‘fresh’ start in the three-match T20I series against New Zealand in Wellington on Friday, November 18.
Hardik Pandya will lead the team in the next T20 showpiece amid Rohit Sharma’s absence. In addition to this, coach Rahul Dravid has been allowed a break, thus VVS Laxman will take over as interim head coach for the white-ball tour to New Zealand.
Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill will be the likely openers for the first game but the management can also give Rishabh Pant another opportunity at the top of the order.
The highly rated Gill, who rose to prominence with his exploits in the U-19 World Cup in New Zealand four years ago, will be hoping to make his T20 debut in this match.
One major reason for India’s T20 troubles has been its inability to take wickets in the middle overs through finger spinners. The New Zealand matches could reunite the wrist spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, whose exclusion from the World Cup XI baffled many.
New Zealand, on the other hand, will field a near full-strength side under Kane Willamson’s leadership. Like India, they too would be smarting from another loss in a World Cup knockout game, and would look to bounce back strongly.
Timing, squads, live stream details of India vs New Zealand T20Is series:
Live streaming: The India vs New Zealand 1st T20I match will be streaming Live on the Amazon Prime app and website in India. The India vs New Zealand T20I series will also be telecast on DD Sports (DD Free Dish).
Schedule:
1st T20I: November 18, Wellington
2nd T20I: November 20, Mount Maunganui
3rd T20I: November 22, Napier
Time:
The toss will take place at 11:30 AM IST and the match starts 12 PM IST.
Squads:
India: Hardik Pandya (c), Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner.
