“Ahmedabad will have better batting conditions” - Wasim Jaffer expects good surface for India vs New Zealand T20I series decider

Former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer reckons that conditions for batting in the third India-New Zealand T20I in Ahmedabad will be much better compared to the first two games.

The first two matches of the T20I series have produced turning surfaces on which spinners have ruled the roost. India restricted New Zealand to 99/8 in the second game in Lucknow on Sunday, January 29. However, the hosts needed 19.5 overs to chase down the target set by the Kiwis. Earlier, in the opening T20I in Ranchi, India went down by 21 runs while chasing 177.

The deciding match of the series will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, February 1. Asserting that conditions for batting will be much better in the third T20I, Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo:

“I feel Ahmedabad will have better batting conditions. I feel it will be a good game. I’ll be surprised if there is so much spin because generally we get to see a lot of good games in Ahmedabad. Probably a score around 160-170 is what I am expecting and the pitch to play a lot better compared to the last two games.

“It will be a big crowd in Ahmedabad and hopefully they will get to see a very good game. Hopefully, India wins the series there.”

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Team India have played six T20Is in Ahmedabad so far, winning four and losing two.

“They need to get it out of the system” - Wasim Jaffer on Team India’s top-order failures

While India’s spinners have been impressive in both matches, their top-order batting has let them down. The trio of Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, and Rahul Tripathi will be under pressure heading into the decider.

Sharing some words of advice for India’s top three, Jaffer said:

“They need to forget what happened in the last two games. It doesn’t often happen that you get back-to-back pitches like this. They need to get it out of the system. Come out with a fresh mindset, be aggressive like they have been so far and put their best foot forward for the third T20I.”

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While Kishan has registered scores of four and 19 in the first two T20Is, Gill has been dismissed for 7 and 11. Tripathi followed up his duck in Ranchi with 13 in Lucknow.