New Zealand vs India, 1st T20I: 5 Talking Points

India was thumped by 80 runs at the Westpac Stadium as New Zealand drew first blood in the T20I series.

After winning the toss, Rohit Sharma put the hosts into bat. New Zealand made a good fist of the opportunity to set a target and raced off the blocks. Seifert and Munro smashed the Indian bowlers all around the park to finish at 66-0 at the culmination of the Powerplay.

Though Krunal Pandya eventually broke the opening stand in the ninth over, the Indians’ joy was short-lived as Williamson came up with an accomplished knock. Seifert, meanwhile, continued on his merry way and notched up his highest T20I score of 84.

A quick succession of wickets followed yet India were never able to control the scoring rate. As a result, India were set a stiff target of 220.

In reply, India got off to the worst start possible as Rohit departed in the third over. Dhawan and Shankar ensured the first six overs were utilised efficiently but neither played long enough to harbour hopes of a victory.

The other batsmen namely Pant, Karthik and Hardik Pandya failed to muster anything substantial and by the time Dhoni had played 10 balls, the game was effectively over as a contest.

The debutant, Daryl Mitchell put the final nail in the Indian coffin at 139 to hand the visitors their worst T20I defeat ever in terms of runs.

Here is a look at five talking points from the game:

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#5 New Zealand finally get a good opening stand

Seifert was spectacular for New Zealand

New Zealand were expected to provide India with their sternest test of the summer. Yet, they crumbled in the ODI series with their opening woes contributing majorly to their capitulation.

Through the fifty-over games, the hosts’ openers provided awful starts of 5, 23, 10, 14 and 18. However, on Wednesday, the new partnership of Seifert and Munro bludgeoned their way to 86.

With a solid base established, New Zealand were able to cash in and the hosts scored freely in the middle overs too. Moreover, for the first time against India, Williamson walked to the crease without any pressure. Unsurprisingly, he looked much more assured and kept the scoreboard ticking.

New Zealand boasts of several all-rounders capable of being belligerent in the final few overs. However, not many of them possess the ability to build an innings from scratch.

Thus, if New Zealand is to go deep into the World Cup, they need to keep coming up with decent starts.

After all, a good start is a job half done. And especially so for Williamson’s troops.

#4 Khaleel Ahmed might not be an option for the fourth seamer’s spot

Khaleel Ahmed put in another sub-standard display

At the Asia Cup last year, Khaleel Ahmed enjoyed a decent start and quickly captured everyone’s imagination. Yet, a few months on, he is worryingly looking like a one-trick pony who might not have a lot to offer in England.

Though it would be a little harsh to completely rubbish the idea of taking the left-arm pacer to the World Cup, Khaleel has hardly done himself any favours with a string of insipid displays.

The seamer was targeted by the Australians in the limited overs series and the same was evident at the Westpac Stadium. The New Zealanders arrived with a clear game-plan of not trying anything fancy against Bhuvneshwar, rather relying on increasing the run rate when facing Khaleel.

However, the most worrying aspect could be the seamer’s lack of ideas. It is never easy to make the step up to international cricket and Khaleel has evidently suffered. Though the left-arm pacer is definitely one to look out for in the future, the World Cup in May might just come a little too soon for such a greenhorn.

India certainly don’t need to throw him by the wayside yet need to seriously ponder different alternatives heading to England.

#3 India miss Kuldeep Yadav

India missed Kuldeep's trickery

India gave Krunal Pandya the nod over Kuldeep Yadav for the second spinner’s slot. Though the former gave a good account of himself, one can’t help but wonder what India missed by omitting the latter.

In the ODI series, Kuldeep was a code the hosts had trouble deciphering. Thus, his overlooking definitely raised a few eyebrows.

In addition, India’s attack looked listless for the majority of the 1st T20I and New Zealand enjoyed their time with the bat. The ball came on nicely and India’s lack of bowling variation cost them dearly.

Moreover, Chahal, a wrist-spinner, was the most economical bowler and came the closest to keeping a lid on the hosts’ power-packed batting.

Over the past year or so, the Indian team management has made many a selection blunder. And one can easily add this to the list. Though everything in the world looks better through the lens of ‘hindsight’, India surely can’t make the same error twice in four days, can they?

#2 Mitchell Santner looks to be back at his best

Santner was in his element on Wednesday

For the better part of 2018, Mitchell Santner was nursing a long-term knee injury. The ailment kept the spinner out of the IPL and the home series against Sri Lanka. When included in the ODI series versus India, Santner looked a little rusty and rightly so. However, on Wednesday, he was in his element.

The left-arm spinner used his full repertoire of deliveries to tie Rishabh Pant in knots and eventually prized out his wicket courtesy a pin-point yorker. In the same over, he bamboozled Shankar in flight which led to the right-hander mistiming his lofted shot. The ball was pouched safely by Colin de Grandhomme to hand Santner his second wicket.

Throughout his spell, the spinner mixed his pace and was difficult to line up. Even the great MS Dhoni tried numerous times to get on top of him but to no avail. A fit and firing Santner provides New Zealand with another dimension altogether. Coupled with his ability to pop up with crucial runs down the order, the all-rounder lends balance to New Zealand.

It is always tough to make a comeback after a long-standing injury and New Zealand would surely have been waiting with bated breath. Yet, if the performance at the Westpac Stadium was any indicator, they can let out an enormous sigh of relief.

#1 Pant and Karthik fail to inspire

Pant failed to make the most of his opportunity

India decided to field Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik as specialist batsmen for the series opener at Wellington. However, the duo failed to live up to their billing.

While Karthik did pull off an outstanding catch to dismiss Mitchell, he also dropped a couple of sitters. In addition, he couldn’t really get going with the bat and was caught ‘sweeping’ off Ish Sodhi. However, by the time the wicket-keeper came into bat, the game was effectively out of India’s reach with Pant & Co. not setting a solid base.

Pant’s inclusion caused a lot of excitement among Indian fans. Yet, it ended in a damp squib as the left-hander looked out of sorts at the crease.

Pant ended up trying a myriad of shots but failed to connect with any of them. Though one would be tempted to leave him out in favour of Gill in the next game, it would be a mistake of historic proportions to drop the wicket-keeper.

At the Test level, Pant has portrayed the required attributes to succeed and he needs a similar run of games to establish himself in white-ball cricket as well. Patience is a virtue and impatience is a vice. And the Indian team management needs to practice the virtue for the vice could rid them of a genuine swashbuckling option at the World Cup.