New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has backed experienced Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to pose a significant threat in the upcoming five-match T20I series, which begins on October 22 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Bhuvneshwar is set to return to India’s T20I setup after nearly four years, adding valuable experience to a bowling attack that also includes Varun Chakravarthy, who is returning from injury.
With the series scheduled across four cities over 11 days, Santner believes the conditions in New Zealand could suit Bhuvneshwar’s swing bowling. The Indian pacer has built a reputation for troubling batters with his movement in the air and off the pitch, even on surfaces that offer limited assistance.
Speaking ahead of the series opener, Mitchell Santner explained why Bhuvneshwar could be particularly effective with the new ball in New Zealand. “I think Bhuvi will love these conditions in New Zealand. If there’s anything in the wicket, he’ll find something out of it. [Even] on some flat ones in India, still manages to nip the ball and swing the ball. So with the new ball out here especially, he’ll be a challenge,” Santner said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
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The New Zealand skipper also highlighted the challenges bowlers have faced in India, referring to recent high-scoring T20 matches in which even totals of 250 have not guaranteed victory. India captain Shreyas Iyer has also stressed the importance of Bhuvneshwar’s return. According to Iyer, the Indian bowling unit needed greater experience, particularly after several relatively inexperienced bowlers featured in the IPL. Bhuvneshwar’s recent performances in the tournament have further strengthened his case for an international comeback.
“Bhuvi, like you said, brings a lot of experience in the team. That was something we lacked, especially after the IPL we had a lot of new bowlers. If you see Bhuvi’s career graph in the last two years, he’s won the IPL also so he knows very well how to dominate this format,” Shreyas Iyer said.
Meanwhile, New Zealand will have to contend with India’s formidable batting lineup. Their previous meeting came in the T20 World Cup final in March, when explosive half-centuries from Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan powered India to 255 before they secured a commanding 96-run victory.
Santner acknowledged the challenge posed by India’s top order, particularly the power of Samson and Abhishek. He also discussed teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has impressed with his aggressive approach in the IPL.
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Although Sooryavanshi did not feature in India’s previous series against West Indies, Mitchell Santner believes the youngster has a significant future with the national team. “I think he has a huge part to play for India, whether it’s this series or not, but in the future,” Santner added.
The New Zealand captain confirmed that his team has considered strategies to counter Sooryavanshi’s attacking style should he feature in the series. With Bhuvneshwar’s swing and India’s explosive batting attracting attention, the five-match contest promises an intriguing battle between experience and youthful aggression.
