India vs New Zealand T20I match will start in Christchurch with Indian skipper BSR Rohit and Maheesh Sulakshan Kumar identified as big threats in the face of the five-match series. Having been out of the national T20 format for almost four years, the seasoned Indian fast bowler has definitely needed to get his championship legs back in the game and Santner thinks New Zealand conditions may prove to be ideal. India’s formidable bowling attack also has the spotlight on them as the series opener will be an interesting matchup between New Zealand’s bowlers and India’s aggressive bowlers.

Bhuvneshwar will be able to assist seam bowlers at Hagley Oval, and can swing the new ball under his control at the Australian country club which is a place where he can be of assistance to the spinners. Santner admitted that the Indian bowler does indeed have a knack for spotting ways to find movement even when the surface doesn’t provide it.

I believe that these conditions in New Zealand will prove to be ideal to Bhuvi. If there is anything in the wicket, he’ll find something out of it,” Santner said before Thursday’s opening game.

The New Zealand skipper also told the audience of the difficulties in India due to high-scoring cricket matches becoming more frequent. The experience and ability to move the ball to and fro at the opposite corners would be an added advantage for Bhuvneshwar in established line and length, as well as in ground balls.

Captain Shreyas Iyer also welcomed the arrival of the experienced pace bowler, noting the importance of having a proven bowler in a relatively young pace attack. With his experience of winning the IPL, Bhuvneshwar has improved his IPL resume in the shortest format.

Iyer feels the experienced bowler will assist the younger bowlers in the team in knowing the tricks to deal with the awkward moments of time in a T20 match. He has come with skills that he could become useful in the powerplay and at critical junctures during the series.

New Zealand will not, however, have their work cut out with India’s batting. India last played against the two teams in the T20 World Cup back in March when they had posted 255 runs in a game which ended with India winning by 96 runs.

Controlling these players won’t be easy, Santner acknowledges. When the field situation is unfriendly, and the ball is in a batsman’s hands with fairly long boundaries, India’s relentless strategy will smash any bowling barrage.

Other players to watch out for on New Zealand’s radar include Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Santner has his doubts about if he will be able to make an appearance in the opener but has seen the young hitter’s potential in the IPL and believes how much he will be a threat if picked up.

The New Zealand captain accepted ‘kaif’ from Sooryavanshi which he believes they have covered for along with his talent to score fast and said his players have already devised a strategy that would counter the youngster in case he does make an appearance in the series. Indonesia has a variety of options to apply pressure on the opposition as it has established international performers and new talents.

The tactic fight will also be affected by the prior conditions. New Zealand’s bowlers might get some breathing space against India’s hitters with the increased dimensions of Hagley Oval. Santner says he expects both teams to examine the field closely to determine how much of a challenge they will want to make on the field.

There will be different challenges in the five-match series as the teams go out across New Zealand. Wellington will present a variety of distances around the boundary perimeter and Eden park will have some easy hitting distance for Hamilton and Auckland. They are all going to vary from game to game – and game to game bowlers will have to adapt their lines, lengths and field position.

Santner finds the predicament of a lefty bowler going up against a Indian batting line-up made up of lefties fascinating. The main thing he will be looking for is to be able to influence the speed of scoring rather than simply turn and to create pressure and utilise the dimensions of each piece of ground appropriately.

The first T20 match will put both sides to the test which is India’s ability to adjust to New Zealand and that of New Zealand containing an explosive batting side. India bowlers have gone up in a big way with Bhuvneshwar’s return bringing experience in the middle with him and Santner’s remarks highlighting New Zealand’s respect for their hosts.

The first game in Christchurch would be a deciding factor in determining whether the match will be a closely fought series or not, with five games still to be played. Stay updated with Zeroto30s for more cricket news and match preview and updates from international cricket.

Follow Zeroto30s for more cricket news

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeroto30s/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeroto30s

• X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/zeroto30s

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zeroto30s