Hardik Pandya‘s Team India will look to claim the series in the third and final T20I against New Zealand at McLean Park, Napier on Tuesday. After the first match of the series was washed out, Team India bounced back with a thumping 65-run win over the Blackcaps in the second game. Suryakumar Yadav continued his purple patch in the international T20Is as he scored his second ton in the shortest format of the game. Another major positive from the second game for India was the bowling on Deepak Hooda and Yuzvendra Chahal. Indian leg-spinner took the vital wickets in the second game while Deepak, who did not bowl in the T20 World Cup 2022, proved that he can bowl and take wickets as well. India captain Hardik Pandya also mentioned him in the post-match presentation saying that he expects batsmen to chip in with the ball in hand.
If India wishes to make a change then they might rest someone like Suryakumar Yadav, who has been playing international cricket continuously now and he might use the rest to come up fresh in the ODI series after this game. Sanju Samson can replace SKY in the batting order.
On the other hand, New Zealand received big blow ahead of the crucial final game which is a do-or-die game for the host as their captain Kane Williamson has been ruled out of the game. Mark Chapman will join the Blackcaps squad in Napier later on Monday. Williamson will be back in the squad ahead of the ODI series. Coach Gary Stead expressed the medical appointment is not related to Williamson’s historic elbow complaint.
Probable Playing XI for IND vs NZ 3rd T20
India – Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya (c), Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal
New Zealand – Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Michael Bracewell , Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (C), Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson
