RANCHI: A three-game international T20 series ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the ICC’s big-money event, the 50-year-old World Cup later in the year, looks a lot like a shy person surrendering at a rave party – without looking too forward to.
However, there are many fringe or second-choice players who demand longer ropes and knock on the door to get into the first team more regularly.
For these players, the absence of king-size regulars – like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Mohammad Chami, mohamed siraj and Axar Patel – is probably the biggest opportunity for fringe players to take the advice of selectors as well as team management.
So when India take on the Kiwis in the series opener on Friday, it will be one of the last three chances for many youngsters – like house boy Ishan Kishan, Prithvi Shaw, Sivam Mavi, Arshdeep Singh , Omran MalikDeepak Hooda, Washington Sundar and Rahul Tripathi – to arouse the curiosity of coaches ahead of the most important series and tournaments in the future in all formats. For alternate skipper Hardik Pandya too, the series will be another chance to strengthen his case as captain in the shorter format as well as the 50+ format in the future.
For another young boy Ruturaj Gaikwad, that’s the end of opportunities for now as the Maharashtra fly-half has been ruled out of the series with a wrist injury. He had complained of wrist pain after the Ranji Trophy game against Hyderabad. Gaikwad is currently undergoing treatment at NCA, Bangalore. BCCI have not announced a replacement for Gaikwad as the team already has three specialist fly-halfers in Shubman Gill, Kishan and Shaw.
As for New Zealand, they would look to leave the ODI bleaching behind and start afresh in the T20Is under the new captain Mitchell Santner. With Michael Bracewell and Devon Conway putting up stellar individual performances with the bat, the Kiwis will be hoping their best unison fights will give them a head start in the series.
The visitors included left-arm dressmaker Ben Lister in the squad. He is very much in the mold of Trent Boult with his ability to swing the ball back and forth.
If the speedster gets his first cap on Friday, New Zealand will be pinning their hopes on Lister for early breakthroughs. Much will depend on Santner and Ish Sodhi as experienced tweakers on the side.
India’s 360 degree man Suryakumar Yadav will be looking to make a statement after his not so good showing in the ODIs against New Zealand. Deepak Hooda, with his recent winning show with the bat, looks likely to get the go-ahead for second-place all-around ahead of Washington Sundar.
The stick looks strong after the huge totals India have racked up in the ODI series. There’s work to be done in the bowling department. Left-arm tailor Arshdeep Singh, likely to lead the pace attack in the absence of senior pros, will be hoping to find a tidy spell. He’s likely to have Malik and Mavi for company.
In the spin department, India will have to make a choice between favored leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and left arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadavwho has impressed in his recent outings against Sri Lanka and the Kiwis.
