Attack coach states that team selection cannot be made on social media; supports Sandhu and Abhishek

The first match of the five-match T20 series between India and New Zealand will take place on Thursday at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. With this match, both teams begin the series, striving for victory and gaining an advantage.

Before the start of this first T20 encounter, Ravichandran Ashwin shared his opinion on key players and young talents that he will closely monitor during the series. He discussed the upcoming match between the two teams, touching upon topics concerning New Zealand, Vivav Suryawanshi, and Abhishek Sharma.

When asked if the rivalry between India and New Zealand would be similar to the rivalry with Australia in the past, he replied that New Zealand is a very smart team that comes onto the field with a clear tactic and plan. He noted that they could be a headache for the Indian team, but the Indian squad must demonstrate the same level of play against them as they did against Australia.

When asked which Indian player would be most watched during the visit to New Zealand, Ashwin immediately named Abhishek Sharma. He explained that since the conditions in New Zealand are different, it is important to see how he plays there, considering that the ball travels fast here.

Regarding advice for Vivav Suryawanshi about the conditions of the visit to New Zealand, Ashwin advised him to absorb everything he can learn and enjoy the process. He emphasized that there is no guarantee he will make the playing XI, but due to his young age, he will gain a lot of experience during the tour, as many experienced players will be present. At the same time, Ashwin did not hide his opinion that Vivav is a very powerful player.

The T20I squad of India against New Zealand includes: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Vivav Suryawanshi, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Verma (vice-captain), Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Namana Dira, Prince Yadav, Minka Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav.

New Zealand captain Michelle Santner highly praised the aggressive play of young Indian player Vaibhav Suryavanshi, noting that he would be difficult to stop if given the opportunity to play in the five-match T20 series. Nevertheless, the New Zealand team has prepared its strategy against this 15-year-old athlete. The first match of the T20 series between India and New Zealand will take place on Thursday.

Since being included in the Indian squad for the tour of England, Vaibhav has been given a limited number of playing minutes. The main reason for this was the outstanding performance of regular batsman Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. Previously, in the last T20 series against the West Indies, Vaibhav also failed to make the starting lineup.

At the press conference before the series, Santner commented on Vaibhav's game, stating that the New Zealand team is well acquainted with his abilities and has developed a corresponding tactic. He emphasized that even though Vaibhav did not participate in the last series, they know what a good player he is because they have seen his performances in the IPL. Santner added that Vaibhav has a chance to play an important role in the Indian team, both in this series and in the future.

He continued that he had observed what he is capable of doing if given a chance in the current series, and noted that he was quite difficult to stop. Santner recalled how bowlers in England often used short balls against Indian batsmen, and also saw in the IPL how aggressively Vaibhav can play. He assured that they have certain plans in case he takes the field.

Santner also shared his opinion on the return of experienced fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the Indian T20 team after almost four years away. The New Zealand captain believes that the conditions in New Zealand might suit Bhuvneshwar, who masterfully controls spin and movement in the air. Santner suggested that Bhuvneshwar could benefit if the pitch slightly assists the ball, noting that he also made the ball spin on flat Indian surfaces. He added that on a new ball, he could become a serious problem for New Zealand batsmen.

He mentioned that in India, T20 matches often end with large scores and easy chases. Santner stated that conditions for bowlers in India have become difficult, whereas in New Zealand, Bhuvneshwar might face more favorable conditions.

Santner hopes that bowling dominance will prevail in the T20 series. However, he acknowledged that conditions can change rapidly depending on the pitch and weather. He suggested that bowlers might gain an advantage in the first match, while the reuse of the same ground in the second match could ease the batting for the batsmen. Therefore, both teams will have to change their strategy according to changing circumstances.

Santner called the Indian team strong, noting that Team India has been performing well for a long time. Nevertheless, he reminded that the bouncy pitches in New Zealand will differ from home conditions for Indian players. He also mentioned that India recently defeated New Zealand in a T20 series by a score of 4-1. Following the five T20 matches between India and New Zealand, there will also be five ODI matches and two Tests. According to Santner, under a tight schedule and constantly changing circumstances, both teams will need to effectively utilize their entire squad to achieve good results.

The left-arm spinner for the Indian team, Yuzvendra Chahal, revealed details of an early career incident that put his life in danger. During a party in Bangalore in 2013, while playing for Mumbai Indians (MI), a drunken Australian cricketer lifted him from the 15th-floor balcony and hung him upside down.

Chahal shared this story on a podcast by former Indian batsman Akash Chopra. He clarified that two cricketers whose names had previously been linked to the incident were not involved. Chahal noted that a very drunk Australian player was present at the party organized by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Bangalore.

According to Chahal, this athlete was physically very strong and suddenly lifted him, hanging him from the balcony. Chahal recounted: 'He just held me by the neck.' People in the room panicked, and everyone immediately intervened to get him back up.

He added that despite the player laughing, it felt like a second chance at life for him. Chahal speculated that the incident took place on the 15th or 16th floor of the hotel. He admitted that in his youth, he did not understand how to officially file a complaint about such an event, and later decided to focus on his career.

Chahal first mentioned this case in 2022. Although Andrew Symonds' name was mentioned in some previous reports, Chahal now categorically denies the involvement of both Symonds and James Franklin. However, he declined to name the Australian cricketer.

Chahal began his IPL career in 2013 with Mumbai Indians and later became a leading bowler for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, playing for the team for eight seasons. He is one of the most successful bowlers in IPL history, with 233 wickets in 188 matches. In the 2026 IPL season, he played 14 matches for Punjab Kings (PBKS), taking 12 wickets.