After making a strong comeback in the second T20I game, Hardik-led team India will eye for another series win if they win the third and final T20I on Wednesday (February 1).
The pressure will be on India’s young top order to deliver in the series-deciding third T20 International against New Zealand on Wednesday. In the absence of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and K L Rahul, the trio of Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, and Rahul Tripathi has not made the most of their opportunities.
After Wednesday’s game, India will not play another T20I for a long time, giving the younger generation a chance to make a statement before the focus shifts to the five-day format. Kishan has struggled to find a rhythm in his batting since his double century in Bangladesh, while Gill has struggled to replicate his ODI form in the shorter format. Tripathi, too, has squandered opportunities in the absence of regular number three Kohli.
Without Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, India would have struggled to reach 100 on Sunday. The series’ surfaces have gotten a lot of attention, and it remains to be seen if the players will have to navigate another turning track at the Narendra Modi Stadium.