India vs New Zealand T20s: 3 players who could replace Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan injured his shoulder while fielding in the third ODI against Australia and didn’t open the batting while India successfully chased down the target of 287 to clinch the series.
The Indian team leaves for New Zealand today and although Dhawan is travelling with the Indian squad, for now, there is no certainty if he will be fit in time for the T20I series which is starting from 24th of January.
India have got some really talented batsmen in the reserves who have been on the fringe of national selection in recent times. If the Indian team management decides not to risk Dhawan ahead of the ODI series, they might call one of these players to replace the veteran left-hander in the T20I squad.
Here are the 3 players who could replace Dhawan in the Indian T20I squad for the series against New Zealand.
#1 Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill will be a like-for-like replacement for Dhawan. He opens the batting for his state side Punjab in all formats of the game and bats at a good tempo.
The good thing about Gill is that he is capable of accelerating once he goes deep into his innings. He is not someone who plays anchor right through. He has got all the shots in the book and he can clear the boundary against both pace and spin.
Gill hasn’t had a great time in the domestic circuit this season. He has played a couple of good knocks here and there, but the consistency has eluded him. However, there is no doubt about the fact that he is a class player and is next in line to get in if there is any vacancy at the top of the order for India.
Gill has already played a couple of One Day Internationals, but he is yet to make his debut in the shortest format of the game.
#2 Mayank Agarwal
Mayank Agarwal is already India’s first-choice opener in Test matches and he has totally justified his selection in red-ball cricket, but the selectors have dropped hints that the Karnataka right-hander is in their plans for white-ball cricket too.
Mayank has been drafted into the Indian squad in Dhawan’s absence in the past as well and it shouldn’t be surprising if he gets a call-up again.
Although Mayank bats at no. 3 for his state side Karnataka and his IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab, he is originally an opening batsman and likes to bat right at the top.
Mayank has played 77 games in the IPL so far in which he has scored 1270 runs at a strike rate of almost 130. While these numbers aren’t extraordinary, the 28-year old is capable of performing far better than this.
Mayank hasn’t played a T20 international for India yet, just like Gill.
Also see – World Test Championship points table
#3 Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav is a middle-order batsman and not an opener like Dhawan, but the selectors can consider his name as well because India already have a couple of players in the squad who can open the batting with Rohit Sharma in Dhawan’s absence.
While KL Rahul is the designated reserve opener, the team management can slot Rishabh Pant at the top of the order too, as the 21-year old left-hander has been an opener for his state side Delhi, and the Indian U19 side.
India’s run rate in the first 6 overs in T20I cricket has been questionable in the last couple of years. It can change if Pant bats at the top because he likes to go after the bowling from ball one.
Pant’s promotion will open up a spot in the middle order which can be filled by Suryaumar Yadav who is a fantastic middle-order batsman. Surya can finish the innings really effectively batting at number 5 or 6.