5 T20s, 3 ODIs, and 2 Tests…Indian cricket fans are counting! After an empathetic series win against the Aussies at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, team India is all set to square off against Kiwis in the upcoming New Zealand tour. The latest victory has boosted the confidence of Kohli & Co. and they are prepared to bounce back from the humiliating defeat they suffered in the World Cup 2019 semi-final against NZ. This tour will serve as an opportunity for the ‘Men in Blue’ to take revenge on the Black Caps.
The five-match T20I rubber against India will start on Friday (Jan 24th) and it is imperative for New Zealand to win this assignment to bring a halt to India’s winning streak.
After watching India clinching back-to-back series win, New Zealand will be more aggressive on the field and more specific with their squad selection. Ahead of the T20I series, New Zealand team coach Craig McMillan said, “It’s big. This whole Indian tour is big after what happened in Australia”.
“This Indian side are a powerhouse. Doesn’t matter if it’s Tests, ODIs, T20s, they are the real deal so it’s going to be a really intriguing tour. For New Zealand to get a pass mark for this tour they need to win two of the three series”, he added.
Head To Head
Last year, India had defeated the hosts 4-1 in the ODIs. However, New Zealand retaliated in the T20I series and thrashed India by 2-1.
T20Is: 11 – New Zealand 8-3 India. In New Zealand, India has sealed victory only once in five matches.
ODIs: 107 – New Zealand 46-55 India; five no results and one tie. In NZ, the ‘Men in Blue’ have won 14 in 39 matches.
Tests: 57 – New Zealand 10-21 India; 26 draws. Team India has registered five victories in 23 matches on NZ soil.
New Zealand vs India T20I schedule (Timing – 12:30 PM IST)
January 24: 1st T20I at Eden Park, Auckland
January 26: 2nd T20I at Eden Park, Auckland
January 29: 3rd T20I at Seddon Park, Hamilton
January 31: 4th T20I at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
February 2: 5th T20I at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
New Zealand vs India ODI schedule (Timing – 7:30 AM IST)
February 5: 1st ODI at Seddon Park, Hamilton
February 8: 2nd ODI at Eden Park, Auckland
February 11: 3rd ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
February 14-16: Three-Day Practice Match, Seddon Park, Hamilton (3:30 AM IST every day)
New Zealand vs India Test schedule (4:00 AM IST every day)
February 21-25: 1st Test, Basin Reserve, Wellington
February 29-March 4: 2nd Test, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
ODI and Test Squads are yet to be announced.
Also Read: 5 INDIAN PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN INDIA VS NEW ZEALAND T20I SERIES
India T20I probable squad:
Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur.
(Selectors awaiting clarity on Hardik Pandya’s fitness; Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of the NZ tour after shoulder injury and pacer Ishant Sharma twisted his ankle ahead of the series)
New Zealand T20I probable squad:
Kane Williamson (c), Hamish Bennett, Tom Bruce (for games 4-5), Colin de Grandhomme (for games 1-3), Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.
