Online Sports Desk
India are leading the five-match T20I series against New Zealand 2-0 after brilliant back-to-back victories in Christchurch, and yet there seems to be more than enough room for improvement. Some players look out of form, and some of the tactical changes are not working out.
The major talking point would once again be the selection of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The left-handed opener played the last match at number three, which is not his usual position, managing four runs off eight balls. It was an uncharacteristically poor knock from him, completely deprived of any rhythm and confidence.
It led to questions about whether India were wrong to push down a 15-year-old, instead of a senior like Sanju Samson, who has played in the position before in the IPL. There were some reports that Kishan could be fit to return for the second T20I, but the team confirmed on Monday that he would remain unavailable.
“Ishan is doing well. He will be training today. For tomorrow, I think he is not available for selection, just as a precaution,” India bowling coach Morne Morkel said.
This leaves India with three options: retain the same batting combination, drop Sooryavanshi and hand a debut to Kushagra, or bring Sooryavanshi back to opening, with Samson at three.
It would be a surprise if they choose the second option, but don’t be shocked if Sooryavanshi goes back to opening alongside Abhishek. It was a combination that worked well at the Asian Games, as starting the game at 0/0 seems to give Sooryavanshi the open slate he currently needs in this format.
After all, this is a short-term solution only, with little to lose for Samson or Abhishek even if Sooryavanshi scores runs.
The all-rounders, Axar Patel, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir and Nitish Kumar Reddy, have been brilliant so far and don’t warrant a change. In the bowling department, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return hasn’t fared as well as India would have wanted, with the pacer conceding 99 runs in the two matches so far.
The team management can consider giving him a break to perhaps reset things a bit. However, it seems unlikely that after a four-year break, they won’t give him a third consecutive chance to prove himself.
India’s probable playing 11 for 3rd T20I vs New Zealand: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Axar Patel, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav
