Black Caps’ depth put to test
The omission of Black Caps veterans Martin Guptill and Trent Boult casts an intriguing backdrop over the side’s white ball series against India.
Just five days after the T20 World Cup final, New Zealand and India, who were both eliminated in the semifinals, are straight back into action.
The series opens with three T20s, starting at Wellington’s Sky Stadium tonight, followed by three ODIs, beginning on November 25 at Eden Park.
Guptill’s axing from both the T20I and ODI sides and the nonselection of Boult, who opted out of his national contract in August, have dominated the headlines on the eve of the series.
With 11 months until the ODI World Cup in India, the Black Caps are clearly looking to the future. Hard-hitting 23-year-old Finn Allen, who opened in the T20 World Cup, has a huge opportunity to impress at the top of the order alongside Devon Conway.
Allen and Conway are New Zealand’s first-choice opening combination in both white ball formats and the frontrunners to open at the 50-over World Cup.
The absences of Guptill and Boult takes away a combined 297 ODI and 177 T20I appearances with both players having been staples of New Zealand’s white ball side.
‘‘We’ve seen in the last few months a lot of those decisions are being made and trying to be balanced,’’ skipper Kane Williamson said when quizzed on whether dumping Guptill and Boult was the right call.
‘‘It’s just a process to work through over the next period of time. It’s hard to know exactly what it looks like. I know everybody is eager to see it try and be nicely balanced [with selection and looking ahead to future pinnacle events].’’
Without Guptill, there will be much anticipation on how Allen fares at the top of the order and approaches his innings – especially in the ODIs.
Quick Adam Milne has been named for both formats and is poised to play his first ODI since October 2017 after an injuryplagued past few years.
Allrounder Michael Bracewell didn’t play a match at the T20 World Cup, but showed his quality, especially with the ball, in the T20 tri-series warmup tournament in Christchurch. He will get his chance to impress again and stake a claim for the ODI World Cup, where he could be a threat in Indian conditions with his offspin.
India, still stinging from a 10-wicket thumping against eventual champions England in the semifinals, are also missing household names.
Batting maestro Virat Kohli has been rested, along with fellow batting dangermen Rohit Sharma (India’s captain in all formats) and KL Rahul.
Seam bowler Mohammed Shami and star offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin will also be absent, while fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and spinning all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja both missed the T20 World Cup with injuries and won’t feature.
Depth is never an issue for India in white ball cricket and they still boast plenty of difference makers, who have shone in the IPL and internationally.
‘‘I’ve certainly seen all the talent these players possess. They’ve all played for India before as well and [there are] a lot of superstars in that side,’’ Williamson said.
Williamson has had an interesting week, being released by his Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL team, amid calls whether he belongs in New Zealand’s top T20 XI. Former Black Caps batter and assistant Craig McMillan was among those to question his place at the T20 World Cup, due to his slow strike rate.
Williamson indicated he would put his name in the IPL auction and was keen to return for another season with a new team.