India vs New Zealand: Make or break for Suryakumar Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal – The Men in Blue will head into a new era under the leadership of Rohit Sharma and new head coach Rahul Dravid as Team India look to bounce back from the ruins of the T20 World Cup. The series will mark the return of international cricket in India since the series against England earlier this year and will be the first step of preparation towards the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. While the series presents an opportunity for some youngsters to shine, it is also a chance for some of the old guns to make their mark and showcase their skills.
India vs New Zealand: Make or break for these Indian stars as T20I series kicks off in Jaipur
1. Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal returns to the India team after his controversial omission from the T20 World Cup squad in the UAE. Chahal was in fine form during the IPL 2021 due was surprisingly omitted for the tournament, with Varun Chakravarthy, Rahul Chahar and Ravi Ashwin all preferred over him. With Chahar and Chakravarthy not part of the New Zealand series, the onus will be on the RCB star to cement his place in the side once again and prove the selectors wrong with some good performances in the India vs New Zealand series.
2. Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav made a fine start to his international career, but the Mumbai Indians superstar has hit a rut in recent months. Yadav struggled for runs in the IPL and in the series against Sri Lanka, while failing to make a mark in the opportunities presented to him during the T20 World Cup. With Shreyas Iyer back in the scheme of things and the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal and Prithvi Shaw waiting in the wings, it is now or never for Surya to showcase his mettle and prove his doubters wrong.
3. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was a controversial selection for the T20 World Cup, and the medium-pacer was dropped after just a solitary game in favour of Shardul Thakur. Bhuvi has lost some serious pace due to his contact trouble with injuries and his potency with the new ball and in the death overs has also regressed dramatically. With India’s fast bowling pool only strengthening with each passing day, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is running out of time to prove that he remains one of the very best in the business.
India vs New Zealand: Make or break for these Indian stars as T20I series kicks off in Jaipur
