NZ bring in Sodhi

January 27, 2023 18:57

India captain Hardik Pandya has won the toss and elected to field against New Zealand in the first T20I in Ranchi on Friday.

Playing XIs:

New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway(w), Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner(c), Michael Bracewell, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Blair Tickner

India: Ishan Kishan(w), Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Shivam Mavi, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh

India are set for a T20 appetizer ahead of their marquee Test series against Australia when they take on the touring New Zealanders in a three-match series, beginning in Ranchi on Friday.

With less than two weeks left for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy matches against Australia that will determine India's World Test Championship final fate, a T20 series in the midst of a packed ODI calendar ahead of the 50-over World Cup may seem purposeless.

As a result, Hardik Pandya, who led a 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka earlier this month, is back leading the T20 side with some regulars and fringe players in the squad.

While skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami are rested, the likes of Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan and Kuldeep Yadav will get an extended run before they assemble for the Test series camp at Nagpur from February 2.

There is also the welcome addition of attacking Mumbai opener Prithvi Shaw, who returns to the team on the back of a series of superlative performances in domestic cricket, including a record-breaking 379 against Assam in the Ranji Trophy.

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