Cricket fever gripped Nagpur as the India-New Zealand T20I series launched at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner called right at the toss, opting to bowl amid expectations of a batting paradise marred by cracked pitch lines.
A highlight for fans: Ishan Kishan’s return to India’s XI after a prolonged break, injecting dynamism into the top order. Suryakumar Yadav’s men, stung by the recent ODI reverse, field a balanced unit sans Shreyas, Harshit, Bishnoi, and Kuldeep—prioritizing T20 specialists.
Santner dissected the surface: ‘Looks flat and high-scoring. Thrilled with our prep; Clarke’s debut adds bite with Jamieson and Duffy’s pace.’ He framed the tour as pivotal World Cup groundwork, respecting India’s fortress-like record.
India’s Suryakumar, preferring to chase due to dew hints, stayed philosophical: ‘Practice showed moisture later, but we bat first confidently with proven pedigree.’ Unlike past games here with sharp spin, today’s cracks forecast seam-friendly carry, sans heavy dew.
This clash tests New Zealand’s resilience post-ODI triumph, against India’s seam spearhead Bumrah and finishers like Rinku Singh.
India playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson†, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav*, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.
New Zealand XI: Tim Robinson, Devon Conway†, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner*, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.
With openers striding out, the series narrative hinges on who masters the conditions first—India’s firepower or Kiwi craftiness.