Ranchi: After completing a 3-0 whitewash in the ODI series, host India will take on New Zealand in the first of the three match T20I series at the JSCA Stadium in Ranchi on Friday. The match will begin at 7pm amid a pleasant weather forecast by the Meteorological Center Ranchi. Team India will be captained by Hardik Pandya, while Mitchell Santner will lead the Kiwi side.
While India would like to replicate the ODI performance in the T20Is, the Kiwis will try to turn the tables in the shortest format of the game. More importantly, the series provides an opportunity for newcomers of both the teams to prove their mettle in absence of the seniors. For India, the series will be a test for batters like Ishan Kishan, Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda to cement their position in the top and middle order in the giant Indian batting line up in absence of regulars Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and K L Rahul.
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In the bowling department, rookies Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Mavi would love to take over the reins in absence of Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, who have been ruled out of the series due to injuries. Spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav are expected to play a key role in today's match at the slow and spin friendly pitch at the JSCA stadium with relatively big boundaries.
For New Zealand, it will be a mammoth responsibility for non-regular captain Mitchell Santner in absence of Kane Williamson, more importantly after the 3-0 whitewash in the ODIs. Santner has the added pressure to lead the spin attack along with Ish Sodhi. Finn Allen and Mark Chapman will be looking forward to take up the batting responsibility in absence of Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill.
Both the teams practised hard in the nets on January 26. Extensive security arrangements are in place inside and outside the stadium for the match. More than two thousand policemen have been deployed in and around the venue.
