IND vs NZ: India T20 Squad for New Zealand

Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan will face tough competition from Ruturaj Gaikwad, though for the opener’s slot in the forthcoming T20Is against Sri Lanka. Ishan Kishan has amassed 589 runs from 21 T20Is including 4 fifties.

His highest score of 89 came against Sri Lanka in February 2022. His competitor Ruturaj Gaikwad hasn’t tasted much success in T20Is managing only 135 runs in 9 T20Is averaging a mere 16.88.

KL Rahul

KL Rahul has played 72 T20Is managing 2265 runs averaging 37.75 including 2 tons and 22 fifties. He had scored two fifties in the T20 World Cup 2022 against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe but failed to cross double digits against heavyweight teams.

The pattern was similar in Asia Cup 2022, where he scored 62 against Afghanistan and 36 against Hong Kong but failed to score above 30 in other matches. He needs to regain his form before the 2024 T20 WC. KL Rahul missed out on being selected for the Sri Lanka T20Is but may return in the T20Is against New Zealand.

Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson debuted way back in 2015 in the shortest T20I format but has played only 16 T20Is, where he amassed 296 runs averaging 21.14. His only 1 fifty-77 came against Ireland. Sanju Samson was recalled again for Sri Lanka T20Is but was dropped from ODI squad.

Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav-the top-ranked T20I batter according to ICC Rankings is a man who can’t do any wrong in this T20I format and India’s own Mr. 360, is one of the most improved players and is going through a purple patch. He scored his 2nd T20I ton in the 1st T20I against the Kiwis, scoring 111* off only 51 balls at a strike rate of 217.65.

He was India’s 2nd highest run scorer and overall 3rd (after Virat Kohli-296, Max O’ Dowd-242) in ICC T20 World Cup 2022 with 239 runs averaging 59.75 at a strike rate of 189.68.

Suryakumar Yadav became the No.1 T20I batter after a superb showing in the Super 12 stage of the 2022 T20 World Cup, where he smashed three fifties in five innings. He has amassed 1408 runs in 42 T20Is averaging 44 at a phenomenal strike rate of 180.98 and will definitely play the 2024 T20 WC.

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli had earlier in the year ended his long wait for a 71^st international century, scoring an unbeaten 122 against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup T20 2022 tournament. He then went on to register four half-centuries in the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, where he ended up as the tournament’s highest run-getter with 296 runs from six matches. Virat Kohli averages 52.74 in 115 T20Is having amassed the most 4008 runs.

Deepak Hooda

Deepak Hooda has played 15 T20Is amassing 302 runs averaging 33.56 besides taking 5 wickets averaging 9. He has scored a T20I ton (104 against Ireland). He has also taken 5 scalps in T20Is including a 4/10 against the Kiwis. He made his India debut in both T20Is and ODIs in February 2022 and was selected for the 2022 T20 World Cup squad as well.

Hardik Pandya

Since regaining his full fitness, Hardik Pandya has just been seen winning games single-handedly for India and is contributing in all three facets of the game. He provides the team with the necessary balance, i.e., the 6th bowler. The right-handed batsman,  a veteran of 81 T20Is has amassed 1160 runs averaging 25.78 besides picking 62 scalps averaging 27.34.

He had picked 8 scalps averaging 18.25 in 6 T20Is in T20 World Cup 2022 besides scoring 128 runs. His 63 against England in the semis went in vain. He had picked 3/30 and scored 40 in India’s opening T20 WC Super 12 game against Pakistan.

Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja has played 64 T20Is managing 457 runs averaging 24.05 besides picking 51 scalps averaging 28.49. He was injured after playing in the Asia Cup 2022. Ravindra Jadeja missed the T20 World Cup 2022 due to injuries before being named in the ODI and Test squad for the Bangladesh tour.

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is yet to fully recover from knee surgery that he underwent in September and missed the Bangladesh tour as well and wasn’t named in the upcoming Sri Lanka T20I and ODI series.

Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar has played 32 T20Is since debuting in 2017. He has picked 26 scalps averaging 29.77. His last T20I was in March 2021 against England at home before the 2nd T20I against New Zealand, where he picked 1/24 in 2 overs.

Finally free of injuries, off-spinner Washington Sundar is set for a new lease of life with Team India. He had a fractured finger before England tour and had tested Covid-19 positive missing the South Africa tour as well. He had a pulled hamstring in India’s tour of Sri Lanka. He missed IPL 2022 as well due to split webbing and a finger injury. His shoulder injury ruled him out of West Indies and Zimbabwe tours.

Axar Patel

Axar Patel has played 37 T20Is amassing 171 runs averaging 14.25 and picked 34 scalps averaging 25.15. He had a poor T20 World Cup 2022, where he managed to pick only 3 scalps in 5 T20Is averaging 38.33 at a steep economy of 8.63. But he may be picked in India’s 2024 T20 WC squad as India will be the host venue, where the tracks offer turn for spinners.

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah missed the Asia Cup 2022 and T20 World Cup 2022 due to injuries. Jasprit Bumrah had missed the Asia Cup 2022 and was undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru alongside Harshal Patel.

Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of India’s T20I series against South Africa after complaining of back pain on the morning of the first T20I. Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the T20 World Cup as well with a back injury three days before the Indian team was to fly out for Australia. He had picked 70 scalps in 60 T20Is averaging 20.23.

Arshdeep Singh

The left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has executed a spectacular performance in his short T20I career so far. He has picked 33 scalps in only 21 T20Is averaging 18.12. In the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup 2022, he picked 10 scalps in only 6 T20Is averaging a mere 15.6. In the T20I series against New Zealand, he picked 4 scalps in 2 games averaging 16.5 including a career-best of 4/37 in one game.

Harshal Patel

The 31-year-old made his international debut last year after winning the Purple Cap in IPL 2021 while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore. He has claimed 23 wickets in only 17 T20Is so far in his career which also includes a four-for. Harshal Patel has made a big name for himself in the last couple of years as a death-over specialist.

Harshal Patel picked up as many as 32 wickets in 15 IPL 2021 games, making him the highest Indian wicket-taker in a single season and joint-most with Dwayne Bravo. Harshal Patel was able to bag 32 wickets in just 15 IPL 2021 games at an average of 14.34, an economy of 8.14, and a strike rate of 10.56.

Umran Malik

Umran Malik-the Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer had a breakthrough season in IPL 2022. He bagged 22 wickets in 14 games in IPL 2022 at an average of 20.18, an economy of 9.03, and a strike rate of 13.40, including a four-wicket haul and a five-wicket haul.

After his impressive show with the ball in the Indian Premier League 2022, the pacer got his India T20I call-up. However, after a short 3-match run, he was dropped from the team as he failed to leave a mark at the international level.

He averages 56 and has an economy of 12.44 to show despite picking 2 scalps in 3 T20Is. He may get more chances with the age of 23 being on his side and if he does well in the T20Is leading up to T20 WC 2024, he may be in the starting XI.

Yuzvendra Chahal

After missing out on last year’s 2021 T20I World Cup, Yuzvendra Chahal was included in the 2022 T20I World Cup but was benched throughout the event with Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin being preferred instead. He has repeatedly proved his worth for India during the middle overs.

He is the top spin bowler for India so far, having taken the 2nd most wickets after Bhuvneshwar Kumar (90) for India in T20Is-87 scalps in 71 T20Is averaging 24.78. It remains to be seen if he gets a chance in the 2024 T20 WC.