New Zealand vs India 2020, 3rd T20I, Hamilton: 3 key player battles which could define the match

In the T20 World Cup year, India could not have scripted a more perfect start to their preparations. They beat West Indies and Sri Lanka at home and have been in rollicking form in the New Zealand tour where they are on the cusp of bagging the series. The batsmen stood tall in the first match and the bowlers flexed their muscles in the second match. The action now shifts to Hamilton and once again, India would look to tick the remaining boxes.

New Zealand, on the other hand, need to get on the board and hence, the senior players need to step up and take charge of proceedings. Once again, it will be about players taking on each other and here in this article, we take a look at three player battles which will define the course of the match.

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Tim Southee vs Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma has been the only player in the Indian top-order who has not yet got going. However, he has been a man in form and looks due for a big score. He would like the conditions on offer in Hamilton and this is where, he needs to dig in, assess the conditions and then take on the bowlers. If he gets going, he has the ability to take the game away from New Zealand.

Tim Southee, who had a good game in the second match, will now need to start picking wickets up front. He might get the ball to seam and swing early in the powerplay overs and will be a threat for the Indian openers. While KL Rahul has runs behind his back, Sharma needs to be wary of the Southee threat, especially now when he is looking to get his form back.

Jasprit Bumrah vs Martin Guptill

"Our role in the team is to be aggressive and we go out there to do that. One of us would have been good to bat 15 overs to set the innings up and have guys bat around us. It was not supposed to be today and we have time to try to do that in the next game and do a better performance," Martin Guptill said after the last match in Auckland.

He will once again hold the key for New Zealand against the new ball and will need to carry on deep into the innings. However, as he said, he will be up against Jasprit Bumrah, who has been India's best bowler across the two matches. His lines and accuracy has been relentless and he will a threat for the Kiwis once again.

Also, with the old ball, he will come back and pose a threat to New Zealand. This battle between Bumrah and Guptill will set the tone for the rest of the match.

Ish Sodhi vs KL Rahul

Ish Sodhi will be important in the middle overs

Ish Sodhi has not been able to have a telling impact on the series so far. However, he remains one of the key weapons for Kane Williamson and hence, will hold the key in the middle overs.

The India batsmen have looked to go after the spinners and KL Rahul, in particular, has been very expressive against the tweakers. Sodhi has the ability to spin the ball both ways and he should be looking to attack the batsmen and pick up wickets.

“I don’t really know what to say about that (the consistent run of scores). The understanding of my game and reading my game has helped me to be more consistent. I always need to keep the team ahead and what the team requires. I have come up with the right shots and the right answers. That’s been my mantra over the last few games and in the T20 format,” Rahul said after the 2nd T20I.