New Zealand v India 2020: 3 Indians who need to make an impact in the 5-match T20I series
After a successful home season, India takes on the Blackcaps in a full tour which includes all the three formats. The tour consists of five T20Is, three ODIs and then two Tests which are included in the World Test Championship.
At the moment, the focus will be in the shortest format with the T20 World Cup in mind. Before the World Cup in October, both the teams would want to find their perfect combination. The Indian team is still trying to find a couple of players who could fit in the playing XI.
India wouldn’t want to repeat the same mistakes which cost them in the ICC World Cup in 2019. India has tried quite a few players in the last few months but a lot of them are yet to make a place in the XI their own. This is a five-match T20I series and after this series, a clearer picture should emerge.
Some of the players who have been in and out of the team have to make a big impact in the series so that it becomes hard to dislodge them. Let’s have a look at three such players.
#3. Washington Sundar
The off-spinner from Tamil Nadu has got an extended run in the Indian T20 team. There is a lot of talk about playing Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal (KulCha) together but still, Virat Kohli has persisted with him. The reason for his selection is that he can contribute with the bat down the order.
In the ten T20 matches of this home season against three different nations, Sundar has managed to pick up only six wickets. He has been economical but he has failed to pick up wickets at regular intervals.
Sundar’s place in the team is not yet fixed and if he wants it to be, then he would have to make a big impact by taking wickets in the upcoming series.
2. Navdeep Saini
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has just had surgery and Deepak Chahar isn’t returning till April. If there is any bowler happy about this, then it must be Navdeep Saini. With these two bowlers not being available, Saini will get plenty of opportunities in the Kiwi series. He hasn’t played in New Zealand and so it would be a challenge for him.
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The 27-year-old pacer has picked up 11 wickets in his eight-match T20 career. At times, he has made an impact with his quick bowling. He has pleasantly surprised many with his quick yorkers. But if Saini makes an impact in the series then it will be hard to bring in the likes of Kumar and Chahar back into the squad.
He virtually has the chance to stop them from coming back to the team if he performs well.
1. Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja is in the same boat as Washington Sundar. Both of them are being preferred because they can bat down the order. While concentrating on their all-round skills, their main skill, which is bowling is going out of the window.
In the last six games which he has played for India, Jadeja has picked up only four wickets. A team must be expecting better returns from an experienced bowler like him. There is no doubt that Jadeja is the best fielder in the Indian team but along with that, he has to take wickets with the ball as well.
The all-rounder's slot who bats lower in the order is not yet fixed. The upcoming New Zealand series will be a big one for him as this might decide his fate for the T20 World Cup.
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