Playing XI Prediction: Ind-NZ 1st T20I
What's the story
After securing victory in ODI series, India buckle up to take on the visiting New Zealand team in the three-match T20I series beginning tomorrow.
T20I series win against the number 1 ranked Kiwis is going to be difficult, considering the fact that India have never defeated them in a T20I match.
Let's look at how both the sides could line up for 1st T20I.
A farewell match
Will Kohli start with Ashish Nehra?
Veteran pace bowler Ashish Nehra, if chosen to play in the 1st T20I, will have his swansong at home stadium in Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla.
It seems unlikely that he will be dropped since Kohli won't like to deny him a farewell match.
Nehra's inclusion wouldn't disturb the team dynamics too much and he would likely take the place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Problem of plenty in the middle order
India's probable XI
With the likes of Dinesh Karthik, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer available for team India selection, there is tough competition for the number 4 and 5 spots.
India's probable XI could look like this- Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra.
Data
Chance for Kohli to reach yet another milestone
With 1852 T20I runs, Virat Kohli is 37 runs short of becoming the second highest run scorer in T20Is. In the first match, he has an opportunity to go past Tillakaratne Dilshan (1889). Brendan McCullum holds the top spot with 2140 runs.
Same ODI team?
New Zealand team probable XI
With Ross Taylor returning to the New Zealand team after 19 long months, we could see him as part of the New Zealand team XI.
New Zealand could have a similar probable XI as their ODI team - Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchel Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, and Trent Boult