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Fri, 24 January 2020
1st T20I: Iyer's blitzkrieg lifts India to victory

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15:48   Iyer's blitzkrieg lifts India to victory

India 204-4 (19 ovs) vs NZ 203-5 | Scorecard

The experienced Southee to bowl the penultimate over. Iyer makes room and crashes the length ball over the long-off fence for a six.

He then walks across a long way and clips Southee over square leg for a four to race to his fifty from just 26 balls.

Iyer has nearly sealed the deal for India, who need just eight from 10 balls for victory.

Southee goes for the bouncer as Pandey swats it powerfully for a single to deep midwicket.

Southee tempts Iyer with the slower ball pitched up as the right-hander goes hard but is beaten all ends up.

Iyer hammers the last ball high over midwicket as the ball carries into the stands to take India to victory.

What an innings from Iyer as he carries India to a thumping six-wicket victory with an over spare after they were set a huge 204 for victory.

Iyer kept his cool under pressure, smashing 58 from 29 balls, laced with five fours and three sixes.

He was involved in an unbroken stand of 62 from 34 balls for the fifth wicket with Pandey, who played second fiddle with 14 not out from 12 balls.

India take a l-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. The second match will be played on Sunday, January 26, at Auckland at 1220 hours IST.
15:41   India need 18 from 2 overs for victory

India 186-4 (18 ovs) vs NZ 203-5 | Scorecard

Debutant Bennett comes back into the attack with New Zealand needing a wicket to push India on the backfoot. The first ball is on the pads as Iyer nudges it behind square for a four and then shuffles across before he clips the next over midwicket for another boundary.

Iyer makes room as Bennett goes short and makes the late adjustment of trying the ramp shot but is unable to make connection.

A good length ball from Bennett which Iyer can hit down to long-on for one as he races to 40 from 23 balls.

Pandey swings hard but can't get hold of the pick up shot as he gets a single to deep square leg.

The last ball is down the leg side as Iyer misses the glance and can only get a leg bye as the wicketkeeper is unable to collect it.

15:35   India need 29 from 3 overs for victory

India 175-4 (17 ovs) vs NZ 203-5 | Scorecard

Southee is called back into the attack. Pandey steals a quick single off the first ball to mid-off before Iyer pulls a short ball over square leg for a six, using the pace to help the delivery on its way.

Iyer sensibly takes a single before Pandey swings hard but can't get a run as he hits it straight to mid-on.

Southee bowls a good yorker as Pandey slaps it down the ground for one.

Iyer makes room and cuts the last ball but the fielder at point puts in the dive to stop the boundary and concede just one.

India need 29 from 18 balls for victory.


15:32   India need 39 from 4 overs for victory

India 165-4 (16 ovs) vs NZ 203-5 | Scorecard

Pacer Bennett is back into the attack as India need a few boundaries to get back the momentum.

But Iyer and Pandey can only manage seven runs from the over as New Zealand continue to build the pressure with some disciplined bowling.

A crucial over coming up with India needing 53 from five overs for victory.

Iyer swings hard but can't get it off the middle as he hits it wide of long-on for a couple.

Sodhi gives it some flight on the line just outside the off-stump as Iyer throws his bat but is beaten. Wicketkeeper Siefert goes up in appeal for stumping but Iyer has managed to drag his feet back into the crease.

Sodhi drops short as Iyer cuts it powerfully through the covers for a four.

He clips the next to deep square leg for a single before Pandey pulls a short ball over midwicket for a six as Sodhi drops short.

A single off the last ball as Sodhi concedes 14 in his final over to finish with 2-36 in his four overs.

India need 39 from four overs for victory.
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15:23   Dube out for 13; India lose fourth wicket

India 144-4 (14 ovs) vs NZ 203-5 | Scorecard

The big-hitting Dube has been sent out to take on the bowlers. After a few sighters, Dube gets going as he lofts Santner back over his head for a four past long-off.

He then whips the next ball over midwicket, beating the high leap from Taylor, for a six and then sensibly runs the last ball to thirdman for one, to get 13 from the over.

Sodhi comes back into the attack. Dube (13 from 9 balls) continues to swing but this time he fails to clear the boundary as Southee takes a good catch running to his left at long-on.

Just two singles from the Sodhi over as India are reduced to 144 for four in 14 overs, with 60 needed from six overs for victory.
15:13   Kohli out for 45; India in trouble

India 129-3 (12 ovs) vs NZ 203-5 | Scorecard

Spinner Santner, who went for 31 runs in his two overs, comes back into the attack.

He does well to concede just six runs in his third over, including a wide as New Zealand look to bowl some tight overs following the wicket of Rahul.

Tickner dents India's hopes big time with the key wicket of Kohli. The India captain clips a full delivery off his pads to midwicket where Guptill takes a superb low catch diving forward.

Kohli walks back after a quickfire 45 from 32 balls to leave India in a spot of bother on 121 for three, in the 12th over.

Shreyas Iyer drives Tickner through the covers for two runs before he plays the inside out lofted shot for a four followed by a single to long-on.

Shivam Dube runs the last ball to thirdman for a single.

India are 129 for three in 12 overs, needing 75 runs from eight overs for victory.
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15:03   Rahul out for 56 but India in control

India 115-2 (10 ovs) vs NZ 203-5 | Scorecard

Pacer Tickner comes back into the attack. Kohli, on 33 from 21 balls, gets a lifeline as he looked to heave Ticker over the leg side but got a leading edge. However, Sodhi rushing in from thirdman boundary failed to judge the catch and put down the simple opportunity.

Kohli then flicks the pacer through midwicket for two runs followed by a wide.

The pacer then oversteps to give away a no-ball and a free hit which Rahul clubs over long-on for a six followed by two singles, to get 16 from the over.

That six helps Rahul race to his fifty from just 23 balls as India look in control at this stage.

Pacer Sodhi is back into the attack. He starts with a wide down the leg side to Kohli, who then takes a single before the leggie bowls another wide.

The two batsmen are content to work the singles against Sodhi, who bowls his third wide of the over.

But Sodhi brings his team back into the contest with the key wicket of Rahul, who is caught at long-off after a superb innings of 56 from just 27 balls, having hit four fours and three sixes.

At the halfway stage, India are well placed on 115 for two in 10 overs, needing another 89 runs from 10 overs for victory.

Captain Kohli is looking in good touch, having stroked his way to 42 from 28 balls.
14:52   Kohli, Rahul rally India after early wicket

India 91-1 (8 ovs) vs NZ 203-5 | Scorecard

Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi comes into the attack. A single each to Rahul and Kohli before the former cuts Sodhi past point for two runs followed by a wide.

Rahul whips the fourth ball through midwicket for one before Sodhi bowls another wide.

Kohli then pulls a short ball over midwicket for a four and then takes a single off the last ball, to get 12 runs from the over.

Spin from both ends as Santner comes back into the attack. Kohli takes a single from the first ball before Rahul flicks the next through midwicket for two runs.

Rahul then lofts Santner back over his head and despite not timing it well he gets a four.

However, the next ball is bang off the middle as Rahul smashes the spinner straight down the ground for a six and picks a single off the last ball as Santner goes for 14 runs in the over.
14:43   Kohli, Rahul rally India after early wicket

India 65-1 (6 ovs) vs NZ 203-5 | Scorecard

Veteran Southee is back into the attack. A single each to Rahul and Kohli off the first two balls before the former makes room and cuts the pacer past point for three runs.

Kohli takes a quick run on the off-side before Rahul whips Southee off his pads and over square leg for a stylish six.

Southee responds with a bouncer as Rahul top edges the pull but it goes over short fine leg for a four as India race past 50, in the fifth over.

Bennett is back into the attack. Rahul, on 27 from 12 balls, gets a lifeline -- infact two -- as New Zealand miss two chances to run him out. Rahul had tapped it on the off-side and initially after calling for a quick single turned back but Kohli continued to run. Rahul ran down as he tried to sacrifice his wicket but the fielder in the covers looked for a direct hit when he could have just thrown the ball back to the bowler and then the fielder at midwicket backing up also misses the chance to run out Rahul as he sends back a poor throw.

Kohli then hammers a short ball through midwicket for a four followed by two singles.

India have rallied after an early wicket to reach 65 for one in eight overs. Rahul has smashed 29 from 13 balls, while Kohli has hit 26 from 17 balls.

They need another 139 runs from 14 overs for victory at just under 10.
14:33   Kohli, Rahul rally India after early wicket

India 41-1 (4 ovs) vs NZ 203-5 | Scorecard

Pacer Hamish Benett into the attack. He beats Kohli with the first ball as the India captain pokes away from his body before he smacks the next over long-on for a four.

Kohli clips the third ball through midwicket for a couple before the pacer bowls a wide down the leg side, followed by three singles as Bennett gives away 10 runs in his first over.

Blair Tickner comes into the attack as he replaces Santner. He starts with a slower ball which Kohli picks early and lofts it over long-off for a six. The next ball is up to full pace as Kohli is beaten outside the off-stump followed by a single each to the two batsmen.

Kohli makes room as Tickner follows him with the yorker but the right-hander manages to clip it to midwicket for two runs, to get 10 from the over.
14:27   India lose Rohit early after NZ post 203

India 21-1 (2 ovs) vs NZ 203-5 | Scorecard

Pacer Tim Southee to open the bowling for New Zealand, while Indian openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma have a huge task on their hand.

Rohit runs the first ball down to thirdman for a single before Rahul cuts the next but can't beat point and then clips the third ball to deep square leg for two runs to get off the mark.

A single to Rahul before Rohit defends the next and is beaten off the last ball as just four runs come from the over.

A surprise move from New Zealand as left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner comes into the attack from the other end.

Rahul lofts the first ball over the covers for a four before the spinner bowls a wide down the leg side as the wicketkeeper fails to collect and concede two wides.

Rohit then comes down the track and lofts Santner down the ground for a six.

But the spinner gets revenge immediately as Rohit top edges the slog sweep and is caught by Taylor for seven.

A huge blow for India in his huge run chase as Rohit departs cheaply and captain Virat Kohli at No 3 will be key to India's chances in this game.

The last ball is short as Rahul pulls it for a four as Santner concedes 17 in his first over.
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14:05   Williamson, Taylor power NZ to 203

NZ 203-5 (20 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

An overpitched delivery from Shami as Taylor flicks it through midwicket for a four. The veteran then punches the next through the covers where Chahal puts in a desperate lunge to keep it down to just two runs.

An angry Shami responds with a quick bouncer as Taylor goes for the pull but is beaten and then takes a single, followed by two more singles off the last two balls.

Shami gives away nine runs in his final over to finish with expensive figures of 53 runs in his four overs.

Bumrah to bowl the final over. The first ball is short as Taylor doesn't make proper connection and settles for one but the fielder at long-on has fumbled and then Jadeja concedes another two runs to make it four runs from the first delivery.

Taylor hits the next ball to midwicket for a couple as Bumrah slips on the corner of the drop-in pitch and ends up twisting his left ankle. This is not good signs for India as they are likely to lose their key bowler with four deliveries to come in the final over.

But relief for India as Bumrah is able to continue with the ball. The third ball is short as Taylor top edges the pull over short fine leg for two runs to complete his fifty from just 25 balls, his sixth fifty in 96 T20 Internationals.

Taylor clips the fourth ball to deep midwicket as Manish Pandey sends in a good flat return on the stumps but wicketkeeper Rahul is unable to collect the ball cleanly as New Zealand go past 200.

Taylor goes hard but can only get a single on the leg side and Mitchell Santner pulls the last ball to fine leg for a single as New Zealand finish on a huge 203 for five in their 20 overs.

A superb innings from Taylor at the end as he slammed a quickfire 54 from 27 balls. His 61-run stand from just 28 balls for the fourth wicket with Kane Williamson, who stroked 51 from 26 balls, was instrumental in giving the New Zealand the much-needed boost towards the end.
13:51   Bumrah strikes; New Zealand 5 down

NZ 182-5 (18 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Bumrah is back into the attack. He immediately beats Taylor with a wide slower ball, who then takes a single to long-on.

A full toss to new batsman Tim Seifert, who taps it on the off-side for just a single.

Taylor goes for the pull but ends up miscuing it to long-on for another single.

Bumrah completely deceives Seifert with the slower ball as he ends up slicing it down the ground where Shreyas Iyer at long-on takes a good catch.

Taylor can manage just a single off the last ball to end a brilliant over from Bumrah, as he gave away just four runs.
13:44   Williamson out for 26-ball 51; NZ 4 down

NZ 178-4 (17 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Leg-spinner Chahal is back into the attack. Taylor picks a single off the first ball before Williamson sweeps the next for a four to raise the 50-run stand for the fourth wicket from just 24 balls.

He slaps the third ball through the covers for a four before he nearly perishes as Chahal beats him on the flight but he survives the stumping chance.

Williamson then swings the fifth ball over midwicket for a four to race to his fifty from just 25 balls.

However, Chahal gets revenge off the last ball as Williamson miscues the slog sweep and is caught by Kohli on the off-side to perish for a quickfire 51 from 26 balls.
13:39   Taylor, Williamson on the attack

NZ 165-3 (16 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Jadeja doing well to keep things in check. Just three singles from four deliveries before Taylor reverses the left-arm spinner fine on the off-side for a four.

Taylor then slog sweeps the last ball over midwicket for a six as Jadeja goes for 13 runs in the 15th over.

Shami is back into the attack. Williamson swings the first ball behind square on the leg side for a four and then picks a single.

Taylor heaves Shami over midwicket as Chahal is caught in two minds whether to go for the catch or stop the boundary and ends up doing neither to give away a four,

Taylor then pummels the next ball, a length delivery from Shami, over midwicket for a six.

Shami goes for the yorker but misses the length as Taylor clubs it straight down the ground for another six. He clips the last ball to long-on for a single as Shami goes for 22 runs in his third over.

Taylor has smashed his way to 31 from 12 balls, while Williamson has hit 39 from 21 balls as New Zealand race to 165 for three in 16 overs, scoring at over 10 per over.
13:30   Jadeja strikes; New Zealand lose 3rd wicket

NZ 130-3 (14 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja comes into the attack. The left-arm spinner strikes in his very first over as he claims the wicket of Colin de Grandhomme, who is caught at short fine leg for a duck.

Veteran Ross Taylor gets off the mark with a single followed by three more singles off the last three balls as Jadeja makes a good start to his spell.

All-rounder Dube is back into the attack. He should have picked up the key wicket of Williamson, who pulls a short ball which goes over Chahal at deep midwicket for another six.

Infact, Chahal was standing way inside the boundary instead of being near the ropes which resulted in him not getting to the ball despite the leap and captain Kohli doesn't look too pleased. If he was standing back, this would have been an easy catch for Chahal.

A single to Williamson followed by two dot balls to Taylor as Dube except for that six bowled a pretty good over.

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13:23   Munro out for 59; NZ lose 2nd wicket

NZ 116-2 (12 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Munro tries to cut a short wide delivery from Chahal as he gets a thick outside edge which goes past wicketkeeper Rahul for a four.

That helps Munro race to his half-century from just 36 balls, having hit five fours and two sixes.

Munro then tries for the reverse sweep but is beaten followed by two singles off the next two balls.

Munro then sweeps Chahal uppishly behind square on the leg side for a four to take New Zealand past the 100-run mark.

He sweeps the next ball straight to Bumrah at short fine leg who fumbles and concedes a run.

Thakur, who went for 30 runs in his first two overs, comes back. A single to Munro off the first ball before Williamson heaves a full delivery over midwicket for a six.

Williamson then pulls the next ball for another six before he runs the fourth ball down to thirdman for one.

Some relief for Thakur as he claims the wicket of Munro, who pulls a short ball straight into the hands of Chahal at deep square leg.

Munro walks back after an entertaining 59 from 42 balls.
13:10   Guptill out for 30; NZ lose 1st wicket

NZ 91-1 (10 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Chahal continues as Munro picks a single off the first ball. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson defends the first ball he faces back to the bowler.

He then drives a flighted delivery into the off-side but can't find the gap and then blocks the next.

Williamson finally gets off the mark with a single on the off-side and Munro picks one off the last ball as Chahal gives away just three runs in his second over.

Dube mixing his pace and length quite well. Munro is unable to get a run off the first two balls as he can't find the gap through the off-side.

Dube then bowls a slower bouncer which Munro tries to pull but again misses as India appeal for catch behind which the umpire turns down.

Munro then clips the next ball to long-on for just a single before Williamson survives another confident shout for leg before wicket as the Kiwi captain looked to have got an inside edge.

Williamson spoils Dube's over as he makes room and lofts the last ball wide of long-off for a six.

New Zealand on course for a huge total as they race to 91 for no loss in 10 overs, with Munro on 48 from 35 balls.
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13:04   Dube makes breakthrough

NZ 81-1 (8 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

All-rounder Shivam Dube comes into the attack. Munro targets him straightaway as he lofts the first ball straight down the ground for a four and slaps the next into the covers for one.

Guptill makes room but Dube follows him as the right-hander can only nudge it on the leg side for a single.

A single to Munro before Dube makes the first breakthrough with the wicket of Guptill, who is caught on the edge of the boundary by Rohit after a quickfire 30 from 19 balls.

Guptill went for the pull but was unable to get hold of the shot and Rohit did well to take a well-judged catch just inside the ropes while doing well to maintain his balance while avoiding the ropes.
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12:57   Munro, Guptill give NZ a quickfire start

NZ 73-0 (7 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Shami comes back for another spell as he replaces Thakur, who gave away 30 runs in his two overs.

Guptill clips the first ball through square leg for a four and then takes a quick single.

Shami tries a bouncer to Munro, who is beaten, but the umpire calls it a wide for height before the left-hander takes a single.

Shami is again penalised for another high bouncer before Guptill smartly clips a slower ball with soft hands on the leg side and rushes across for two runs.

Guptill plays a magnificent straight drive off the last ball, lofting Shami straight back over his head for a six.

New Zealand off to a flier as they race to 68 for no loss in six overs.

Guptill has stroked his way to 28 from 15 balls, while Munro has hit 34 from 21 balls.

A desperate India introduce spin in the form of leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.

Guptill hits the first ball down to long-on for one and Munro punches the next through the off-side for a couple and then tries to pull a short ball but can't find the gap.

A single to Munro as Chahal makes a tidy start, conceding just five runs in his first over.
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12:54   Munro, Guptill give NZ a quickfire start

NZ 52-0 (5 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Munro swats Thakur over midwicket for two runs and then looks to loft the next over the covers but ends up carving it over the off-side for two more runs.

Thakur pitches it up as Munro hammers it straight back past mid-on for a four.

The next ball is again bowled right up and this time the left-hander lofts it over mid-on for another four before he is beaten by a yorker trying to clip it through the leg side.

The last ball is short as Munro goes for the pull but gets hit on the gloves and it flies over wicketkeeper Rahul for the third four of the over.

18 runs from the over as NZ race to 44 for no loss in four overs, with Munro smashing 31 from 16 balls.

Bumrah comes back as he replaces Shami. Guptill steers the first ball to thirdmnn where Thakur rushes to his right and slides but ends up letting the ball through to concede a four.

Bumrah then bowls a leg side wide before Guptill takes a single on the off-side.

Munro tries to sweep Bumrah but is beaten by a full delivery and hit on the pads. The bowler appeals for leg before wicket but the umpire is not interested before the left-hander takes two runs off the last ball as New Zealand reach 52 for no loss in five overs.
12:37   New Zealand off to a quick start vs India

NZ 26-0 (3 ovs) vs India

Shardul Thakur gets the new ball ahead of Mohammed Shami as he is called in to bowl the second over.

Munro nudges the first ball on the leg side for one before Thakur sprays the next down the leg side as Guptill glances it fine for a four.

The right-hander then looks to go over the top but ends up hitting it towards mid-on as he rushes across for a quick run.

Munro defends the next two balls before he lofts the last ball down the ground for a six as NZ race to 19 for no loss in two overs.

Mohammed Shami from the other end as he replaces Bumrah. Guptill defends the first ball before he is hit high on the pads next ball which comes in and he manages to take a leg bye.

Shami bowls a bouncer to Munro but it goes down the leg side and is ruled a wide before the left-hander pulls the next ball for a four over midwicket.

He keeps strike with a single off the last ball as New Zealand reach 26 for no loss in three overs.
12:27   India elect to bowl vs NZ; Pant left out

NZ 7-0 (1 ov) vs India

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah to open the bowling for India. The first ball is right on the mark, full and outside the off-stump, as Guptill defends but is beaten.

However, he takes a couple of steps down and hammers the next ball over mid-off for a four to get off the mark in confident fashion.

The next ball is clipped to midwicket where Yuzvendra Chahal misfields to give away a single.

Bumrah then loses his line as he bowls a leg side wide to left-hander Colin Munro before he beats him next ball with a wide yorker.

Another yorker but this time Munro manages to clip it to deep square leg for one and Guptill blocks the last ball.
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12:07   Rahul to keep wickets; Chahal included

Check out the playing XIs of the two teams:

India: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul (w/k), Virat Kohli (captain), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami.

New Zealand:
Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (captain), Tim Seifert (w/k), Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Hamish Bennett
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11:55   India elect to bowl vs NZ; Pant left out

India captain Virat Kohli has won the toss and elected to bowl against New Zealand in the first T20 International in Auckland.

India have gone in with three frontline fast bowlers in Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Shardul Thakur.

Yuzvendra Chahal swaps place with fellow wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav with left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja preferred ahead of Washington Sundar.

KL Rahul will keep wickets for India as Rishabh Pant is left out, with medium pace all-rounder Shivam Dube getting the nod at No 6.
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11:48   'It looks like a very good pitch to bat on'

The pitch looks like a true batting wicket with good  bounce and the batsmen from both sides will be itching to get going.

"The pitch is a drop-in pitch and looks like a very good pitch to bat on. The seamers will not get really that much help while the batsmen will enjoy ball coming on to the bat," observes Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar in his pitch report.

"It is a drop-in pitch and won't break up much which means it will be good for batting throughout," reckons former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris.
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11:29   Upbeat India take on injury-hit Kiwis

Welcome to the coverage of the opening T20 International between India and New Zealand in Auckland on Friday.

Preparations for the World Cup on top of their agenda, India will take on an injury-hit New Zealand in a rare five-match T20 International series during which seam-friendly wickets would be a major challenge for the visitors.

Unlike most overseas tours, this will be a quick start for the Indian team. In a tight season, the first T20 comes only five days after their last ODI against Australia at home.

The team arrived in Auckland on Tuesday and chose to rest on Wednesday. Thursday was when they hit the nets ahead of the tour-opening game.

On the plus side, this hectic schedule helps the team management maintain consistency in team selection as they continue experimenting across the available squad in a World Cup year. The T20 showpiece is scheduled to be held in Australia in October this year.

Despite injury issues to key white-ball personnel like Shikhar Dhawan, Hardik Pandya, Deepak Chahar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar this past home season, the bench strength has come across adequate and raring to go for challenges ahead.

It begins at the top where KL Rahul has stepped up as a key part of India's white-ball plans.

He did enough against the West Indies as Shikhar Dhawan's replacement to merit a starting spot, and then formed a solid pairing when Dhawan returned while Rohit Sharma was rested. And now, India will once again start this T20 series with Rohit and Rahul pairing up at the top.

Skipper Virat Kohli dropped hints that Rahul's newfound confidence in his dual role as batsman-keeper has given vital options to the team.

According to Kohli, Rahul will continue to keep wickets in both ODIs and T20Is, but will open in the shortest format while returning to the middle-order in the 50-over format.

It could mean that Prithvi Shaw is being primed for an ODI debut and a potential pairing with Rohit when the three-match series begins on February 5.

The skipper also indicated a change in middle order plans. With Rahul keeping wickets, the fit-again Rishabh Pant could lose his spot in the playing eleven.

Manish Pandey is expected to play as the fifth specialist batsman and Shreyas Iyer will regain his spot at number four.

The Yuzvendra Chahal-Kuldeep Yadav combination is yet to play a game together since the 2019 ODI World Cup, and it remains to be seen if things will change in this aspect.

In the pace department, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah are assured starters, while the toss-up will be between Shardul Thakur and Navdeep Saini.

New Zealand had beaten India 2-1 in the T20I series last year. The Black Caps also won 2-1 in the T20I series during their Sri Lankan tour, and then drew 2-2 at home against England in a five-match series.

Despite the recent good record in the shortest format, there is a downbeat mood in the hosts' dressing room thanks to the 3-0 shellacking received in Australia over the past month.

As always, they have a dearth of all-rounders to choose from but need to balance with pickings in the pace department, which is missing the services of Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson owing to injuries.

It remains to be seen if the Black Caps opt for two spinners in Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner given the really short boundaries at Eden Park, venue for the first two T20Is.

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