Australia vs New Zealand: 5 key battles

#2 James Faulkner vs Martin Guptill

James Faulkner holds the key with his varations

Martin Guptill smashed the first ball he faced in the tournament for a maximum, and signaled his intent. He was out the next ball courtesy a dodgy umpiring decision, but the impact of Guptill has been profound for New Zealand in limited overs cricket. The fact that he was snubbed at the IPL auctions might also act as a driving force to establish himself in India.

James Faulkner exemplifies the hard and mean Australian mindset. He is a player with an appetite for big stages, and he proved it with a man of the match performance last year in the World Cup. He brings the left arm angle into the game and in the presence of Mitchell Starc, Faulkner will have to step up.

It is a matchup between the flamboyance of Guptill and the guile of Faulkner and both these players will be critical to their team’s cause.