India dictated terms and completed the 5 match T20I series in a commanding manner. India created history by becoming the first team to whitewash New Zealand in New Zealand in this format of the game. India were ordinary in all the departments of the game at times but they managed to overpower New Zealand in every single game which shows the kind of character that Indians showed in the series.
Here we take a look at 5 takeaways for India from this series.
KL Rahul- No more a 2nd choice opener
The dynamic dashing Karnataka batsman has sealed his spot as an opener for India once for all in the T20 cricket. There was this confusion between Rahul and Dhawan as to whom should open the innings for India in the shortest format of the game.
It doesn’t mean that this is the end of the road for Dhawan as still he can open the innings for India along with Rahul as the vice captain Rohit Sharma can play at no:3 which he did in the 5th T20I, with the skipper Virat Kohli taking the much talked about no:4 position
Middle order audition is a success
With WT20 approaching at a rapid pace, India were unsure about their middle order batsman with Pant, Iyer, Manish, Samson all fighting for one spot. The confusion has been sorted out very well and India have found out 2 middle order bats in Shreyas Iyer and Manish who can be destructive as well as hold things up. Though it is highly unlikely that both will be in the playing XI once Hardik and Dhawan comes back, India can be assured of that middle order spot with 2 batsmen being finalized for that role
Solid backup for Bumrah and Shami
The raging speedster Navdeep Saini has impressed one and all with his pace and bounce and impeccable accuracy. His penultimate over in the 4th T20I where he delivered yorker after yorker with utmost control has made him an automatic pick for the WT20 and an able partner for Shami and Bumrah.
Ravindra Jadeja has found his lost mojo
The acrobatic all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has made himself undroppable from the playing XI as he out bowled even India’s leading leggie Yuzvendra Chahal in this series. Ravindra Jadeja with his left arm orthodox bowling has troubled batsmen throughout the series and returned with magnificent figures in all the 3 games he played. India have more or less fixed their bowling all-rounder role and Ravindra Jadeja has done no harm in owning that spot for the WT20.
A dream fast bowling combination in Shami and Bumrah
India has the best fast bowling battery in world cricket at present. The depth they have in the bench is unimaginable. Their first choice bowlers are world class at the moment. India already having the number 1 bowler in the limited overs cricket in Bumrah, they have found another fast bowling machine Mohammad Shami who has developed into a complete bowler now. He overtakes Bumrah at times which shows the improvement he has made in his white ball game. Shami has developed a variety of balls and almost has all different kinds of varieties in his armory and can keep the batsmen guessing all the time which is a must in the modern day T20s. With Bumrah and Shami being the two spearheads for India, the opponents will have a tough time to overcome those 2.