Wellington: Canny operator Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the ever-so-consistent Arshdeep Singh will have their task cut out when a focussed Indian team eyes a series-clinching win in the third T20 International against New Zealand here on Tuesday to continue an unbeaten run that dates back to 2020.
Virat Kohli’s Indian team had blanked New Zealand 5-0 when the Men in Blue visited this part of the world in 2020. In their next visit in 2022-23, the Indians won the only match that was not wrecked by inclement weather, while the series-decider ended in a tie.
Shreyas Iyer’s men will be keen to ensure that the record stays intact despite the absence of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has been rested, and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is on a long injury lay-off. The side definitely seems on track, having won the high-scoring opening two games in Christchurch.
Ahead of the third T20I, the Indian team will not just be worried about a gutsy New Zealand bouncing back but also about the gusty wind that often traverses the Basin Reserve Ground, which is open from three sides.
Whether the conditions will force any tactical changes in the playing eleven was not revealed by India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel but he was clear that comeback man Bhuvneshwar needs to find his feet at the international level without being put under pressure.
The much-anticipated return of Bhuvneshwar, after four years on the sidelines, hasn’t gone as per plan and he went for 49 and 50 in his four-over spells across two games in Christchurch.
“One challenge is to block the expectation factor out, leading into selection. He trained for a month, but playing international cricket is a different beast where the margins are small. He had to come in with limited training because of the schedule to get himself ready,” Morkel stood firmly behind the 36-year-old Meerut man.
However, Basin Reserve, with its cross-winds, could prove to be the venue where those supple wrists become more effective.
He will have a reliable partner in Arshdeep, whose ability to push the ball across the right-handers and occasionally bend it back or straighten it, could create issues for the New Zealand top-order comprising Finn Allen, Tim Seifert and Daryl Mitchell.
The trio hasn’t exactly joined the party yet and pressure is mounting as the series progresses.
The heavy-lifting has mostly been done by Glenn Phillips in the middle-order, with two half-centuries, and by Bevon Jacobs in the last game.
India have used 13 players in the first two games. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi came in place of an injured Ishan Kishan and death overs specialist Prince Yadav replaced Mayank Yadav in the second game.
It is early summer in New Zealand and an evening match in chilly and windy conditions could also test the technique of Indian batters, who love hitting through the line.
The absence of Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry as part of New Zealand’s own workload management plan can also work to India’s advantage. The hosts have included Matt Fisher and Blair Tickner in the squad.
The Christchurch track didn’t have enough juice even though the odd ball gripped onto the surface.
How Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson deal with the vagaries of breeze and chill would be interesting to observe.
For 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, these conditions will definitely go a long way in making him a better player in the future.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir’s ploy of using Tilak Verma, Naman Dhir and Nitish Kumar Reddy in the middle-order has worked wonderfully in the first two games.
But it is the bowling where India are still trying to figure out how to plug the holes.
