NZ vs IND T20 Series Preview: Young Team India must play aggressive cricket to tackle difficult New Zealand conditions

 

The T20 World Cup dream might not have come true in Australia, but it is also true that it was a decent campaign for the Men in Blue as they played good cricket to reach the semi-finals. Every player in that squad gave his best, fought hard and there is no doubt that the learnings from the campaign will pave the path ahead for Indian cricket.

Going ahead, we need a dynamic and younger squad which can be ready for the next set of challenges, and the young squad picked for the New Zealand T20Is will give the management an opportunity to assess the talented youngsters.

What should be the roadmap for India in T20s?

There are three areas in particular where Indian cricket needs deep thinking and working out. The first one is our top order, second our lower middle order and then the fast-bowling outfit.

Arshdeep Singh has emerged as an able partner for Jasprit Bumrah, having now proven to be a big threat with the new ball and equally dangerous with the old one. But we still need to figure out a larger group of fast bowlers in this format. There is no doubt that Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami have done an excellent job all these years,  but we need to look at young fast bowlers and ensure they are given ample exposure heading into the next World Cup. The first step is to underline those names and give them the enough opportunities to learn and grow and see how they perform at the international level.

I am not worried about our spin department because we have decent options in there. Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav are some experienced campaigners who have done well in the past and their collective experience could be of huge benefit for India in games to come.

But one thing we need to build is our lower middle order- the No 5,6, 7 slots. We need to figure out our death over specialist as well. I think Hardik Pandya has done an excellent job batting in these challenging positions, but there are still two places up for grabs. Hardik has rightfully made No 6 his own batting position, what we need is a solid No 5 and No 7 respectively.

I think Rishabh Pant can be the guy who gets that No5 slot. He has done it before and hopefully he will continue to bat at that number. The No 7 slot, however, is still open. In my opinion, a spin-bowling all-rounder or another fast-bowling all-rounder, at No 7, will bring a nice balance to the side.

Backing this young squad to shine in New Zealand

Our previous tours to New Zealand are testimony to the fact that beating them in their conditions is a big challenge. They know their conditions really well and use it to their advantage against visiting sides. Their bowlers, especially, are a huge threat because they have a clear idea of what end to bowl from, how to swing the ball especially when the ball is new, and how to use the wind factor to their advantage. Their batters are very good against the short balls.

One of the key strengths of the New Zealand side is that they play as a strong unit and their collective force is tough to overcome. They employ very good game plans and tactics. That is why India need to have specific plans in place, both as a batting and bowling unit.

India’s strengths on this tour will be the young squad at helm. I am very hopeful that they will be fearless as is the demand of shorter formats. Both, the format and the conditions, demand that a fearless and dynamic approach be taken. Here, in this format, you need to express your game without worrying who the opposition is, who the bowler is. And if you play a little attacking cricket especially against their fast bowlers, if you put them under pressure, and try and cut down their swing either by walking down the pitch or stepping down, or potentially even standing outside the crease, you will give yourself the best opportunity to score runs. It is important for Team India to be a little aggressive and put the opposition under pressure from the get-go.

I have full faith in this bowling lineup. These guys always look to pick wickets which is the kind of mindset one needs in T20s. It is important to pick wickets in the powerplay and hence, you need to be aggressive even as a bowling unit right from the outset.

Wind, tennis ball bounce – some big challenges

Playing in New Zealand conditions is not very different to Australia, but sometimes pace wise the pitches are slightly on the slower side. Some of the pitches have little more grass than what you get in Australia so what the batters may get is more a tennis ball bounce.

Another big factor while playing in New Zealand is the wind. It is quite windy in some of the places and you need to get used to it. As a bowler, if you are bowling against the wind, you need to get used to that. That adjustment will be required otherwise you may find it hard to control the ball. Even as a batter getting used to the wind is important because your back lift may need to change accordingly. In shorter formats, you are required to play some of the shots with the wind so that even if you mistime it, it may clear the ropes. On the other hand, if you are hitting shots against the wind, you need to go a little flatter and try and pick your pockets to target.

I believe that the Indian players who have already played in Australia recently will adapt quickly to the conditions in New Zealand. But it is true that one needs to get used to the pace and bounce of the New Zealand pitches to do well there.

I am looking forward to seeing this Indian team play smart and aggressive cricket in T20Is, with both bat and ball. I am expecting this young squad to come good against the top-class New Zealand team.