New Zealand vs India, 2020 T20I Series: New Zealand Players' Performance Ratings

The Kiwis couldn’t have asked for a worse start to a high-profile T20I series against India. Yes, New Zealand were missing their key bowlers, but a defeat as resounding as 5-0 on their home turf poses some serious questions before them ahead of the 2020 T20 World Cup.

Also Read: If You Give Them A Sniff, They Take It With Both Hands: Tim Southee

And it was more concerning for the Black Caps since they were struggling to get over the line from increasingly winning positions multiple times. There were individual players, but collectively as a unit, New Zealand didn’t come any close in matching India’s performances.

The home side needs to play out of their skin if they are to beat India in the upcoming ODI and Test series.

We take a look at the New Zealand Players’ Performance Ratings:

Martin Guptill – 5/10

Leaving out the final two matches, Martin Guptill got off New Zealand to blistering starts. After scoring 30, 33, 31, the 33-year old went back for scores of 4 and 2 in Wellington and Mount Maunganui to end the series disappointingly.

He gets a rating of 5/10.

Colin Munro – 7/10

Colin Munro mustered two half-centuries in the five-match series, but couldn’t convert any of it to match-winning ones.

The southpaw’s highest score in the series was 64 in Wellington in Kiwis’ second consecutive defeat to India.

For his two fifties, he receives a rating of 7/10. He was their highest run-scorer with 178 runs in five innings.

Kane Williamson – 8/10

New Zealand’s regular captain Kane Williamson was highly unfortunate to miss out on the last two matches due to a shoulder injury. But he gave his absolute best in the three games he played.

The 29-year old began the series by scoring a breezy knock of 51 and almost single-handedly lead the hosts to a much-needed victory in Hamilton in the third fixture.

Williamson earns a rating of 8/10.

Tom Bruce – 1/10

Tom Bruce replaced Colin De Grandhomme for the final two T20Is in the squad, but came to the playing eleven instead of Kane Williamson.

Sadly, the right-handed batsman couldn’t trouble the scorers in Wellington and Mount Maunganui, getting dismissed for a duck after facing three deliveries.

He receives a rating of 1/10.

Colin De Grandhomme – 4/10

Colin De Grandhomme was one of the many players from whom many expected to deliver, but fell flat.

The Zimbabwe-born all-rounder ended up with scores of 0, 3, and 5. Given the circumstances, the Black Caps needed Grandhomme to come out all guns blazing with the bat.

Additionally, he rolled over his arm only in the third match wherein he picked up the crucial wicket of KL Rahul. The burly Kiwi player gets a rating of 4/10.

Blair Tickner – 3/10

Blair Tickner played the first two matches in the five-match series and went out of favour after picking up only one wicket conceding 68 runs in six overs.

From there, the Kiwis drafted in Scott Kuggeleijn.

Tickner receives a rating of 3/10.

Tim Seifert – 8.5/10

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that after Kane Williamson, Tim Seifert was the most dependable batsman for the Kiwis in the middle-order. He amassed a total of 141 runs in five matches, including two fifties.

Seifert highest score of 57 came in the second super-over defeat in Hamilton. He gets a rating of 8.5/10.

Ross Taylor – 7.5/10

Ross Taylor started the series with full of potential, remaining 54 not out as New Zealand piled up 203 in Auckland. After that, the 35-year old struggled to get going, especially when his side needed his most experienced player to bail them out of trouble.

The star bastman responded with a fifty in the final match, but it again went in vain.

Taylor receives a rating of 7.5/10.

Hamish Bennett – 6/10

Making his T20 international debut in the series, Hamish Bennett didn’t particularly start well and had to wait till the third match to get his first wicket. But what began as a nightmare ended relatively well as he took six wickets in five games at 30.16.

The 32-year old gets a rating of 6/10.

Scott Kuggeleijn – 7/10

Scott Kuggeleijn came in place of Blair Tickner from the third match and started looking impressive straight away.

The right-arm seamer bowled only two overs in the third game, but bowled his full quota of overs after that to take three wickets in the series.

New Zealand would rue not playing him since the first match. He gets a rating of 7/10.

Daryl Mitchell – 4/10

Daryl Mitchell replaced Colin De Grandhomme for the final two matches and took the all-rounder’s spot.

Similar to Grandhomme, Mitchell also failed to come good with the bat, making 4 and 2 in the couple of matches he featured in.

He gets a rating of 4/10.

Mitchell Santner – 6.5/10

As a relatively senior player, expectations out of Mitchell Santner was on the higher side.

The left-arm spinner chipped in with only three wickets throughout the series. And as a well-known finisher and a floundering lower order, he also had a responsibility to deliver with the bat.

Sadly, he couldn’t give a complete performance in either of the departments and gets a rating of 6.5/10.

Ish Sodhi – 7/10

Ish Sodhi was ineffective in the starting stages of the five-match series, but he raised the bar as it progressed to become their best bowler of the series. His best figures of 26/3 came in the fourth game in Wellington when he took the wickets of KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Shivam Dube.

The leggie finished the series with six wickets from five matches at 24.33.

He earns a rating of 7/10.

Tim Southee – 5/10

Throughout the series, Tim Southee was mostly under the scanner. The pressure was at a high from the start already since he had to lead a bowling attack, bereft of the likes of Matt Henry, Trent Boult, and Lockie Ferguson.

Due to an injury to Williamson, the 31-year old had to lead the side and in the course of it suffered two defeats in two games from comfortably winning positions.

Furthermore, he only took three wickets in five matches at a hideous average of 62.33.

Southee receives a rating of 5/10.

Also Read: New Zealand In Great Hands, Says Virat Kohli As He Throws Support Behind Under-Pressure Kane Williamson