Indian cricket fans are appalled that Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson is warming the bench in the three-match T20I series against New Zealand. After the first game was washed out without a ball getting bowled, skipper Hardik Pandya chose to pick Rishabh Pant as the specialist wicketkeeper for the second game in Mount Maunganui on Sunday (November 20).


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Pant failed with the bat as opener at the top of the order, scoring just 6 off 13 balls while coming out at the top with Ishan Kishan. After yet another failure with the bat for Pant, fans are wondering if Sanju Samson should be brought in as the specialist opener in the side. Samson averages an impressive 73.5 in ODIs with two fifties and a strike-rate of over 106 while in 16 T20I matches he has a strike-rate of 135.



Pant’s opening partner Ishan Kishan also struggled although he managed to score 36. The Mumbai Indians batter will need to up their game with Shubman Gill waiting in the wings as well. Gill was expected to make his T20I debut in this series, it remains to be seen if Pandya will gamble by bringing in the youngster or Samson in for the crucial third T20I.


New Zealand, on the other hand, will miss the services of skipper Kane Williamson – who is skipping the third T20I since he has to attend to a medical appointment. Batter Mark Chapman has been called up for the game at McLean Park in Napier. Pace bowler Tim Southee, who picked up hat-trick in the second game on Sunday will be leading the side in Williamson’s absence.


India vs New Zealand 3rd T20I Predicted 11


India: Ishan Kishan/Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant/Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya (C), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj and Yuzvendra Chahal


New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wicketkeeper), Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (C), Lockie Ferguson