Modern day Indian cricketers are supremely fit both on and off the field. Flaunting six packs is normal for them and Hardik Pandya’s side didn’t miss an opportunity to do the same ahead of the first T20 of the three-match series against New Zealand in Wellington on Friday (November 20).


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Team India cricketers including skipper Hardik Pandya, Umran Malik, Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, and Washington Sundar showed off their physiques and abs by the sea in Wellington. The Black Caps will face the Men-in-Blue in the three-match T20 series starting from Friday.


Hardik Pandya, Umran Malik, Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh and Washington Sundar work hard in the gym, and are not shy about showing off either. The cricketers on Wednesday went for a stroll on a sunny day on the beach.


Washington Sundar posted a video in which all the aforementioned cricketers could be seen walking on the beach. Sundar dropped the post with the caption: “Best escape anyone can have.” The video had background music ‘Everybody’ by the Backstreet Boys.


Hardik Pandya will take on the mantle of captaining the Indian squad for the 3 T20 matches in the bi-lateral series and is looking forward to the challenge of facing the innovative New Zealand cricket outfit. “World Cricket is evolving now and they are the ones who are coming up with new plans for the bowling and batting unit,” Pandya said while discussing the challenging task of beating the Kiwis. “It is about adapting and getting used to new challenges. That is their plus point, that they keep coming up with new tactics.”



Pandya is confident of the squad that has been announced and said, “Main boys are not here but at the same point of time the talent that is available, the players who are a part of this tour, they have been playing for a good amount of time (1 - 1.5 years). They have had ample chances to express themselves in international cricket and show what they have. Very excited for the new bunch, new guys, new excitement, new energy, so it will be quite exciting.”


Hardik is also excited to step into the role of leader and serve as the captain for this series. The all-rounder revealed that he understands the importance of his position, especially with the youthful team that will surround him.


“Not much of a difference to be honest, because even when I am not the captain, I try to give feedback, I am always around the bowlers, As a captain it is different, I have to look after them. I didn’t have a role to look after but now I have a responsibility to look after the boys. We need to work as a team and start a culture that we want to create from now onwards because, obviously the world cup is two years from now but the preparation for me as an individual starts from almost a year and half before so this is the right time.”


India Squad for NZ T20Is


Hardik Pandya (C), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson (wk), W Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik.


New Zealand T20I squad


Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Blair Tickner.


(India vs New Zealand T20I series will be Live Streamed on Prime Video in India)