India vs New Zealand: 5 players to watch out for in T20Is

The upcoming India vs New Zealand T20I series will be a mouth-watering contest after the hosts completed a 3-0 whitewash in the ODIs. The first match of the India vs New Zealand T20I series will be played in Ranchi on Friday, January 27.

New Zealand will be eager to bounce back and turn the tables around in the T20Is with some fresh faces.

India and New Zealand have played each other 22 times. The Men in Blue have the upper hand in the head-to-head record with 12 wins, whereas the Black Caps managed to win nine matches, with one match ending in a thrilling tie.

Here, we list 5 players to watch out for in the India vs New Zealand T20 series.

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5 players to watch out for in the India vs New Zealand T20I series

#1 Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav is considered to be one of the most ferocious batsmen in the T20 internationals. With so many shots in his arsenal mixed with audacious improvisations, he can dismantle any bowling attack single-handedly.

The 32-year-old was named ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year for his performances in 2022. He amassed 1,164 runs in 31 T20I matches at an average of 46.56 and a strike rate of 187.43, scoring two centuries and nine half-centuries.

He has made a great start to 2023 as well, having already scored a century and a fifty in three T20I matches.

SKY also loves playing against New Zealand, having amassed 518 runs in 10 matches with a staggering strike rate of 189.05 and an average of 86.34 against the Kiwis. He will be the first name on the visitors' strategy list, and they will surely be wary of stopping him in the India vs New Zealand T20 series.

#2 Glenn Phillips

Glenn Phillips has been a mainstay in New Zealand's batting order in T20I recently. He has been nothing short of a revelation at number four for the Blackcaps. Although he was lackluster in the ODI series, India will not take the hard-hitting batsman's form for granted as he becomes a different beast in the shortest format.

With 1,361 runs under his name and a SR of 148.26, Phillips is a multi-faceted package in T20Is. Not only can he bowl some overs for his team, but he can also keep wickets if required. His fielding efforts have been known to everyone. He throws himself at everything every time on the field and makes a huge difference on the field.

He likes batting against India, scoring 356 runs at an astonishing SR of 167.92 and averaging nearly 40 in 10 matches. He will certainly be the player to look out for in the India vs New Zealand T20 series.

#3 Hardik Pandya

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has been leading the T20I side for a while now, looked in omniscient touch in the India vs New Zealand ODI series.

The current management sees him as a long-term white-ball leader once 35-year-old Rohit Sharma decides to call time on his illustrious international career, and they will be pleased to see the all-rounder regain his all-rounder form.

Apart from his clean ball-striking form, he also bowled some overs in the series. Although he was expensive, he did provide some important breakthroughs for the hosts in the ODIs.

In 10 matches against New Zealand, Pandya has scored 176 runs at a strike rate of 131.34 and picked up seven wickets with a 7.43 economy rate and a SR of 19.71.

He is a vital cog in the Indian T20 set-up and is certainly a player to look out for in the India vs New Zealand T20 series.

#4 Michael Bracewell

Michael Bracewell, who almost single-handedly won the first ODI with probably one of the best innings while chasing, will certainly be on the radar of the Indian team for the upcoming T20I series.

The 31-year-old batting all-rounder from Masterson has been in some good ball-striking form in recent times, and in T20Is, his all-round value will be a huge asset for his team.

In 13 matches, he has managed to score 90 runs at a brisk SR of 183.67. He also has 17 wickets to his name in this format, which shows that he can not only create an impact in batting but that his bowling has also added value to the team. He is certainly one of the players who can have a great impact in the India vs New Zealand T20 series.

#5 Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep Singh, whose stock in T20Is has been on the rise in recent times, is a very exciting prospect for the current Indian side. He can swing the bowl both ways upfront, he can bring the ball in for the right-handers and he can nail his yorkers to perfection in the death overs.

The only downside to his bowling is his lack of discipline; he is too wayward sometimes, and his frequent no-balls certainly are a headache for the team management. However, he is the kind of bowler that every team dreams of having.

Against New Zealand, he has 14 wickets in nine matches with a slightly expensive economy rate of 8.93, but if he manages to curb his mistakes, these numbers are certainly going to improve. He should be the player one should certainly keep an eye on in the India vs New Zealand T20 series.