India vs New Zealand 1st T20 Predicted Playing 11: Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan to open, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal Battle for 1 spot

In-form Team India opener Shubman Gill will continue to open the batting for Team India in the absence of regular openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in the T20I format as well. Stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya confirmed that Gill and Ishan Kishan will be India’s preferred choice of openers for the first T20I against New Zealand in the three-match series at the Jharkhand Cricket Association Stadium in Ranchi on Friday (January 27).

Gill was in phenomenal touch, scoring 360 runs in just three ODIs – including a double century and a ton in the third and final ODI in Indore earlier this week. The young Punjab opener has earned his right to be the back-up opener ahead of Mumbai’s Prithvi Shaw, who is making a comeback into the international squad.

Secret behind jersey number _
Getting the legendary @msdhoni's autograph __
Favourite cuisine _

Get to know @ishankishan51 ahead of #INDvNZ T20I opener in Ranchi ____#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/neltBDKyiI — BCCI (@BCCI) January 26, 2023

In the bowling department, young pacers Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh will be expected to lead the attack with Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami getting well-deserved breaks ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia next month. With all-rounders Deepak Hooda and Washington Sundar, expected to chip in with the ball, it will be a toss up between Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal for the special spinner’s slot.

For New Zealand, both Tim Southee and Trent Boult are unavailable for this series as well. Young left-arm pacer Ben Lister is in line to make his T20 debut and according to Devon Conway, Lister is capable of doing ‘tricks’ with the ball.

India vs New Zealand 1st T20 Predicted Playing 11

India: Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(C), Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Deepak Hooda, Ishan Kishan, Kuldeep Yadav/Yuzvendra Chahal, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Mavi

New Zealand: Finn Allen, Devon Conway (wk), Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Blair Tickner, Ish Sodhi, Ben Lister, Lockie Ferguson