Storm Sooryavanshi is brewing as India and New Zealand prepare for another running festival
“I was walking down the river yesterday and a couple of Kiwi fans asked me, ‘Is the 15-year-old playing tomorrow?’. He’s been warming the bench for a long time, you don’t want to lose his form.”
These were reportedly Ravi Shastri’s words during the first T20I as everyone wanted a piece of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in action. He was protected by coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyerwho seem to know its value and believe that patience is the key. But Indian fans were impatient and now their wish is finally coming true.
Sooryavanshi will be back in the colors of the Indian team in the second match of the series in Christchurch. The boy wonder did not play any of the matches of the home series against Afghanistan and West Indies and has been more of an overseas expert so far. It looked like he might continue his education with the team on the New Zealand tour too, but an injury to Ishan Kishan opened the door for him to return.
And the numbers explain why there is so much hype around Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old has scored 246 runs in eight T20Is at an average of 30.75 with a strike rate of 186.36.
With the first match set to be a high-scoring thriller, fans will expect Sooryavanshi to play a major role in the outcome of Saturday’s match. The first match was a sign that this Indian team will not back down from their approach to attack from the start.
India scored 93 for the loss of no wickets before the power play in their chase of 226. Sooryavanshi coming in will be a harbinger of that mantra as he always seems to have only one gear when it comes to T20 cricket.
But the Indian management tempered the hype, who want to ensure that the cub is not overexposed.
“He is very talented and has a bright, bright future ahead of him. He will learn a lot of things once he starts playing. But initially I felt there was a lot of hype around (his place in the 11),” said Sitanshu Kothak.
“I really felt it wasn’t good for the players either. For a young 15-16-year-old, everyone is saying he should be playing and he’s not getting space. He’s too young.”
“It’s sad and it’s sad for the other players who come forward. People related to cricket should think about it. Whether they’re actually helping or just to create something, they’re doing something.”
Whatever happens on Saturday, Indian fans will expect Sooryavanshi to send the ball to all parts of the country.
NEW ZEALAND IS READY TO MAKE IT A SLUGFEST
When you look at the New Zealand openers, they seem to be capable of killing any competition just by brute force. Finn Allen and Tim Seifert are one of the best opening pairs in the business and they put India under pressure early on.
The middle order has often lacked the strength the Blackcaps have wanted of late, but the first game was a glimpse of what they can do. Glenn Phillips scored 82 off 40 balls and Bevon Jacobs chipped in with the best cameo.
But New Zealand’s concern will be Daryl Mitchell’s form. He has often been a thorn in India’s side in ODIs, but batting in T20Is, especially at No.3, does not seem natural to him.
However, the fight from New Zealand is what made them a tough side. When people write them off, the Blackcaps have the talent to prove everyone wrong and then secure a win.
They showed that in the first match where despite an early strike, Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell managed to make it a tough game for India.
This Indian team has some problems in the middle order as Tilak Varma and Shreyas Iyer get stuck often. While there is a new finisher in town in Naman Dhir, New Zealand will be backing themselves.
IND VS NZ 2ND T20I: TEAM NEWS
With Sooryavanshi expected to replace Kishan, India could pair him with Abhishek Sharma at the top, relegating Sanju Samson to the third spot. This arrangement has been India’s preferred option whenever the three have fielded together, although it could provide an early opportunity for New Zealand to exploit a potential weakness.
The visitors could have turned to off-spinners Michael Bracewell or Glenn Phillips during the power-play to attack India’s left-handed opening combination. India have struggled with this particular fixture before, including in the opening phase of the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
Apart from a potential change at the top, India are unlikely to make further adjustments to their batting order. However, Axar Patel could move up the order if India need a bat capable of countering spin during the middle overs.
IND VS NZ 2ND T20I: CHRISTCHURCH PITCH AND WEATHER REPORT
Dew could be a major factor in Saturday’s encounter and the remaining games of the series, with all games starting at 8pm. This is likely to influence the toss, with captains expected to prefer to bowl first to avoid defending the unit in increasingly difficult conditions.
However, the batting first team can find encouragement on the surface as the match will be played on the same pitch as on Thursday. Any wear and tear from the opening game could have offered a different challenge to the batsmen and bowlers.
Christchurch is expected to enjoy clear skies and sunshine throughout the day, although the mercury is expected to dip into the lower degrees Celsius by the time play begins.
IND VS NZ 2ND T20I: PREDICTED PLAYING XIS
India: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer (capt), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav.
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson
– The end