The middle order will be keen to improve their performance with a series sweep in sight. Management of the Indian team is considering rotating its bowlers against New Zealand in the third and final T20I.
Shubman Gill, the opener, has been in great form. He scored a stunning double hundred in the opener and then a 40-run run in the low-scoring, second ODI. Rohit Sharma is also enjoying a great run.
The home team knows that Shubman (and Rohit) have been the only batters among the runs, despite a 2-0 series lead.
It is true that others have not been tested. The dead rubber will provide the perfect opportunity to Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya to practice their batting in match situations.
Kohli’s issue with left-arm spin is back in the spotlight as the talismanic batter was repeatedly dismissed by Mitchell Santner.
The former skipper, who had scored three hundreds in four innings was then dismissed in both the ODIs. New Zealand’s star left arm spinner revealed the flaws in Kohli’s armor. Kohli will be eager to make a course correction with the World Cup only months away.
Suryakumar was expected as a back-up firepower in the absence ShreyasIyer.
The series-opener saw Hardik, the T20’s premier batter, fail to make an impact. Hardik has also been disappointing with his bat lately. He’s had a disappointing series against Sri Lanka, and hasn’t been impressive against New Zealand.
The T20 fixtures are scheduled for later this week, and the important Australia series is due to start next month. Team management might be tempted to rest some players and give Rajat Patidar (who was added to the squad to replace injured Iyer) a debut.
Patidar has been a great performer in both the domestic circuit and the IPL.
The bowling department could see some changes, with Umran Malik returning to the side and Yuzvendra Chahal taking over as spinner leg-spinner.
Chahal and Umran are not part of the series thus far. With the ODI World Cup coming up later in the year, team management wants to test their core players and monitor the workload.
After scoring 131 runs in the first ODI against India, New Zealand scored over 300 runs. However, the Indian bowlers let New Zealand score more than 300 runs. The Indian seamers came back strong in the Raipur match.
Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Hardik were both clinical. The spinners did a good job as well.
New Zealand will, however, be keen to get a consolation victory to lift their spirits. The Black Caps will need to fix their batting problems, as they are without regular skipper Kane Williamson.
In the last 30 innings, New Zealand’s six top batters have only scored 40 runs or more seven times. Michael Bracewell and Mitchell Santner were the only two batters who have impressed in their lineup.
The pitch at Holkar Stadium is batter-friendly, with smaller boundaries and bounce. Bowlers will need to put in a lot of effort to keep the score under control.
Teams (from
India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gil, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (wk), KS Bharat, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar Shahbaz Ahmed (vice-captain), Washington Sundar Shahbaz Ahmed (vice–captain), Washington Sundar (wk), Washington Sundar), Shahbaz Ahmed (vice–captavendra Yadavendra Yadavendra Yadavendra Yadavendra Yadavendra Yadavendra Yaavendra Yadavendra Yadavendra Yadavendra Yadav), Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami and Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Umran, Siraj, Mohammed Siraj, Umran, Umran, Umran Mak
New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain), Finn Allen, Doug Bracewell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi and Blair Tickner.
