India look to extend advantage over New Zealand at high-scoring Eden Park

India are unlikely to change a winning combination but a few changes in bowling department won't come as a surprise when visitors take on New Zealand in second T20 at high-scoring Eden Park here on Sunday. Jasprit Bumrah was only bowler on eir side to concede less than eight runs per over at peculiar shaped ground with short boundaries in series opener on Friday.  Both Mohamm Shami (0/53 in 4 overs) and Shardul Thakur (1/44 in 3 overs) were taken to cleaners with New Zealand batsmen using ir pace to collect boundaries at will. 

RE | Kiwi Spinner Sodhi: 'We've To Be More Aggressive With Ball Against India'

Since Shami is expected to retain his place in playing eleven, Thakur might make way for Navdeep Saini. However, Saini, with his extra pace, too could go for big runs at small ground.  It remains to be seen wher India sticks to three specialist pacers and two spinners combination or bring in an extra tweaker in Kuldeep Yav to partner Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jeja. Washington Sundar is or spin option India have.  If India do play an extra tweaker, all-rounder Shivam Dube will be third fast bowling option.        

Considering conditions, Jeja and Chahal h done a decent job on Friday, conceding 50 runs off 36 balls and taking a wicket each. ditionally, Chahal and Kuldeep are yet to play toger since ODI World Cup ended. With batting bearing a settled look, team manment might be keen to take a punt on ir reunion. On batting front, Virat Kohli was a pleased skipper as much-scrutinised middle-order delivered for team under pressure. Shreyas Iyer solidified at his position at number four with an unbeaten 58 off 29 balls.      

RE | KL Rahul Enjoys Being 'more Proactive' In Cricket With ditional Wicketkeeping Duties

It was a near-perfect start of tour for away team which chased down 204 with relative ease to go 1-0 up in five-match series. Ahe of Indian team's departure, re was concern about constant shuffling, much like ODI experimentation ahe of 2019 World Cup. Iyer's form has put paid to all that chatter. batsman has figured in all of India's 12 T20Is since September last year, averaging 34.14 in 11 innings with two half-centuries and strike-rate 154.19. With his match-winning temperament at Eden Park, Iyer has stitched down a spot in batting line-up for good.

As Manish Pandey and Dube alternate in finishing duties, aided by K L Rahul's wicket-keeping skills, India's T20 batting line-up finally seems set in short term barring unforeseen changes. New Zealand were left pondering about a short of 10-15 runs to ir total as well as missed chances in field that allowed visiting batsmen to get away with a high scoring rate. Partly, it also h to do with India's surprisingly quick aptation to awkward conditions on offer at Eden Park. 

RE | SA Vs ENG: Ben Stokes Lands In Hot Water After Abusing South African Fan On Day 1

In turn, Black Caps mselves w have to come to terms with India's aptation if y are to prevent an early 2-0 le within three days. India h also won here in February 2019, albeit it was a three-match T20I series y h eventually lost 1-2. Irrespective of result, tide seemed to turn for hosts in terms of ir batting form. Senior batsmen Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor defied recent criticism to score attacking half-centuries. It complimented ir top-order's runs, albeit y only finished with a par score. India won key battles during ir innings in that new batsmen at crease were able to maintain momentum previously generated. It is something New Zealand cant simply fix with a change in personnel. As such y will be hoping likes of Colin de Grandhomme and Tim Seifert to come good.

re is a school of thought in hosts' camp that Williamson should open batting in T20 cricket, thus taking vant of powerplay overs. Given lightning start provided by openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro, this seems infeasible for next game, atleast. New Zealand expect to field same eleven, avoiding any temptation to take a look at all-rounders Scott Kuggeleijn and Daryl Mitchell.  Both teams enjoyed a day off on Saturday in lieu of tight schedule and sterner battles ahe. Eden Park was only an estimated 60 per cent full on Friday despite New Zealand Cricket anticipating more gate collections owing to Indian team's popularity.  It remains to be seen if scheduled late-starts (7.50-8 pm local time) continues to have an impact on match attendances during this T20I series.

RE | Pakistan 'thrashed' India In Cricket In Past Because Of More Dynamism: Imran Khan

Teams

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul (wk), Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jeja, Kuldeep Yav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Washington Sundar. PTI CN 

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Scott Kuggeleijn, Colin Munro, Colin de Grandhomme, Tom Bruce, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Hamish Bennett, Ish Sodhi, Tim Soue, Blair Tickner