Dubai: After a crushing 10-wicket loss against Pakistan in their tournament opener, Virat Kohli and Co would look to bounce back against New Zealand in their next Super 12 game to keep their knockout hopes alive. While addressing the press after the loss, Kohli said he was convinced that India had played the best side on the day, given the conditions. But a loss of such magnitude calls for changes.Also Read - T20 World Cup: Rashid Khan's Heartwarming Message to Fans in Afghanistan After Win Over Scotland is Going Viral
While the rest of the side remains the same, two changes are likely to take place. Ishan Kishan, who is in top form, could make the playing 11. The young left-hander may be picked in place of Hardik Pandya, who picked up an injury while batting during the Pakistan game. After scans, he has been declared fit, but given the fact that he does not chip in with the ball – it would be difficult to fit in the all-rounder. Also Read - SA vs WI Dream11 Team Prediction, Fantasy Cricket Hints ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021, Match 18: Captain, Vice-Captain – South Africa vs West Indies, Playing 11s, News For T20 Match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium 7.30 PM IST October 26 Tuesday
Another change that is likely is that Bhuvneshwar Kumar gets dropped and in-form Shardul Thakur walks in. Thakur has been impressive in recent times. Bhuvi bowled three overs where he conceded 25 runs at an economy rate of 8.30. He also didn’t bowl well in the warm-up games and only picked six wickets in IPL 2021. Also Read - T20 World Cup: Babar Azam's Stirring Dressing Room Speech Has the Potential to Mark the Beginning of a New Era in Pakistan Cricket l Watch Video
On the other hand, Shardul Thakur took 21 wickets to his name. Moreover, Shardul can bat well. The Indian selectors should bring Shardul Thakur in the next game against the Kiwis.
India’s Predicted XI vs New Zealand: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (C), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.