Time is running out for Hooda and Ishan; Shaw must win in the second T20I between India and New Zealand.

India lost the first T20I versus New Zealand by a score of 21 runs. Given that they hardly presented a genuine threat for New Zealand to worry about throughout the chase, the margin of loss if anything flatter the hosts. However, India also did a good job of holding New Zealand in check during most of their second innings, particularly in the dying overs, until giving up 27 runs in the last over when Daryl Mitchell smacked Arshdeep Singh all over the place.

India’s batting collapsed, but this is still a fresh top three, and they will undoubtedly want to extend the players’ ropes. India was caught in a spin web on the Ranchi surface and scored a total of 15 runs through Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, and Rahul Tripathi. Washington Sundar said after the game that the hosts’ final total of 155/9, which would have been a par score to defend on the wicket, was a par score.

For the second T20I, though, captain Hardik Pandya is unlikely to choose the uncapped fast bowler Mukesh Kumar and is more likely to support Arshdeep. While Shubman Gill, who has been on fire in ODIs, has only participated in four T20Is and is still getting a handle on the complexities of the shortest format, the two important hitters, Ishan Kishan and Deepak Hooda, will be the main cause for worry.

Kishan, who bats first, is not in the dangerous shape he showed while smashing a record-breaking ODI double-century against Bangladesh in December. Ishan has now scored 37, 2, 1, 5, 8 no., 17, and 4 in his past seven innings in ODIs and T20Is. He last scored a fifty against South Africa on June 14, 2022, assuming one only takes into account T20Is. As a lower middle-order batsman, Hooda hasn’t had much luck either. In his previous 13 innings, he’s averaged only 17.88, with his best score coming in an unbeaten 41 against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede.

Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan opened.

Rahul Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya are in the middle order (c)

Strong player: Deepak Hooda

Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav, spinners

Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, and Shivam Mavi are Pacers.