Ind vs NZ, 3rd T20I toss update: India elect to bat; Ishan, Chahal return

Indian cricket team celebrates. Photo: PTI

Having sealed the three-match T20I series against New Zealand cricket team, the India cricket team will now be looking to register a series clean-sweep going into the third game of the series at the Eden Gardens on Sunday. But the opportunity is also there for the hosts to try out the bench strength in a dead rubber.

Eyes will be on the Eden Gardens, where BCCI President Sourav Ganguly will ring the bell to kickstart proceedings and it needs to be seen whether Rohit and management try out the bench strength.

In the second game of the series, the hosts registered a comprehensive win. All the departments came together to put on a complete show. After being under the pump, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel conceded just 45 runs off 8 overs and this was a special effort looking at how heavy dew had set in.

Rohit and KL Rahul then put together a 100+ run opening stand, leaving New Zealand chasing the leather. Now heading into the third and final T20I, one needs to see whether Ruturaj Gaikwad gets a game in the opening slot.

For Ruturaj to get a game, one of Rahul or Rohit would need to be rested, and one needs to wait and watch whether Rahul Dravid and co decide to tinker with the winning combination. Yuzvendra Chahal, Ishan Kishan and Avesh Khan would also hope to get one game as the three have warmed the bench in the first two matches of the series.

 

India vs New Zealand 3rd T20 playing XI

India playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Ishan Kishan(w), Venkatesh Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal

New Zealand playing XI: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert(w), James Neesham, Mitchell Santner(c), Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult