India will take on New Zealand in the two-match T20 series starting Saturday at Visakhapatnam. These matches are very important for both the teams considering the fact that the ICC T20 World Cup is just round the corner.

It will be good practice for both teams as both the venues Visakhapatnam and Chennai (venue for the second T20) are in the southern part of India and conditions there will almost be similar to what the teams will face in Sri Lanka.

India after a two-nil whitewash in the Test series will be hoping for the same result in the T20s as well. Indian team are very strong when it comes to shorter formats and they are doubly dangerous in their home conditions. Indian team possess one of the deadliest batting units in the modern game and each batsmen can prove to be a match winner on his own day.

New Zealand on the other hand will be much more eager to take on India in T20s compared to Test matches. Shorter formats help weak teams as they don’t have to keep up the tempo for 4-5 days. The Kiwis will be hoping for their batsmen to come good because to beat India they will have to put up a huge total.

Both teams have some genuine match-winners in their team, let’s have a look at some of the players who can make a difference in the first match.

India:

Yuvraj Singh: Yuvraj Singh will take the field for the first time after his tournament winning effort in the world Cup. Yuvraj’s journey has been incredible. He successfully fought cancer and is back in Indian colours. The whole world will be watching and praying for this brave man when he will walk out on the field. He has always been a match winner for India, but for this man this match will held more importance than the result.

Virat Kohli: There is hardly any better sight in cricket nowadays than to see Virat Kohli bat. He is scoring runs at will and is playing match winnings knocks match after match. It looks that he can never get out and the way he paces his innings is beautiful. Virat will once again be in the thick of action and the Kiwis will have to remove him if they want to have any chance of winning.

Harbhajan Singh: Harbhajan Singh is making a comeback into the Indian team after the disastrous tour of England. People have raised questions that he has not done much to be back in the team and that he is in the team because of his experience and not his form. Knowing the man, Harbhajan will be itching to have a ball in his hand to prove the world wrong.

R Ashwin: He has been the number one bowler for India in this format for quite a long time. Ashwin is perfectly equipped for this format and always seems to have the control on the proceedings. It won’t be a surprise if Dhoni gives Ashwin the new ball as he has done that a lot in the past.  

New Zealand:

Ross Taylor: Taylor is one of the most dangerous batsmen in this format and the Indian team will be well aware of that fact. Taylor in the first innings of the second Test thrashed Indian bowlers to every part of the ground. He played an explosive innings and dominated the Indian bowlers. Taylor will have to come up with such an innings again if he wants to leave India with a win behind his back.

Brendon McCullum: He is one of the most experienced batsmen when it comes to playing T20 cricket. McCullum is dangerous in this format as he can turn the match on its head in a matter of few overs. He likes lifting the bowlers over the top right from the front and it won’t be surprising if Dhoni opens with a spinner to tackle this dangerous batsmen.

Tim Southee: With a seven-wicket haul, Southee will be quite confident going into the match. In the last season of IPL, Southee played for Chennai Super Kings and did come up with some match winning performances. He will be very well aware of the conditions he will face and he will be key to New Zealand’s success.

Jacob Oram: He has been in and out of the New Zealand team because of injury problems. But whenever he is in the team he is a threat to the opposition. Oram recently played in the Sri Lanka Premier League and played some match-winning knocks there. His bowling will be really handy on the slow Indian pitches.

By Gaurav Jha

Indian Sports News