Judging by recent numbers alone, it would be a no-brainer for Prithvi Shaw to start India’s innings with T20Is. However, Ishankishan’s shortest form contribution at home last year and Shubman Gir’s meteoric rise in his ODI cricket over the last 12 months has seen management turn Rohit his Sharma and his KL Rahul into After being set aside, I was forced to give this two young men a chance. However, in 2023 he has so far failed to capitalize on his chances in his four matches played by India in T20I cricket.
Kishan hit a scratch 37 in Wankhede against Sri Lanka and Gil hit a not-so-smooth 46 against the same opponent in Rajkot. That said, both batsmen fared poorly in their other three matches, including one against New Zealand at lunch on Friday (27 January) as India’s redesigned T20I side took shape. It’s safe to say it’s starting to happen, but the first mystery is still unsolved. Rohit, Rahul, and Virat Kohli’s futures are up in the air in the format, but Shaw’s call to join is growing, especially as Kishan and Gill struggle to pinpoint a spot. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s last-minute exit from the series should make it easier for management to give Shaw a chance. But will it come to Lucknow on Sunday? If not, it’s safe to say that if Gill and Kishan fail to make an impact again in his second T20I, at least that could happen in the final game of the series.
India are hoping for a better performance with the ball in Game 2 to even out their winning streak. All the pacers were taken apart at lunch while the spinners did their job. New Zealand, on the other hand, perform better, especially after not scoring a single ODI on the Tour. Daryl Mitchell, who had struggled with runs so far, had a decisive shot and Mitchell Santner looked unplayable on that surface. India seldom miss out on a trophy at home, so if they can pull off repeat performances it will be a great result.
when:
India – New Zealand, January 29th at 7pm local time
From where:
Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
What to Expect:
Temperatures are expected to drop during the match. Both captains were surprised by the number of turns offered at lunch, but things could be different at Lucknow. The last time his T20I was held at this venue was around 11 months ago in a competition where India defeated her 199/2. India and South Africa also had a 40-over contest last October, with both teams scoring more than his 6.
Team News
India:The hosts will hardly contemplate making changes. Shivam Mavi and Umran Malik combined to send down just three overs and Kuldeep Yadav was impressive again. Prithvi Shaw may have to wait for his turn.
Predicted XI – Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh
New Zealand:The visitors are expected to go in with an unchanged XI as well.
Predicted XI– Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Blair Tickner