New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has acknowledged the threat posed by India’s teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ahead of the five-match T20I series, which begins on Thursday. While the youngster’s place in India’s playing XI remains uncertain, Santner revealed that his team has already discussed strategies to counter the left-handed batter if he gets an opportunity. Sooryavanshi has attracted considerable attention with his explosive batting performances in the Indian Premier League.

However, the 15-year-old has received limited opportunities since joining India’s touring squad for the UK earlier this year, with established openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson continuing to deliver impressive performances. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Santner praised Sooryavanshi’s ability and highlighted his potential to become an important player for India in the coming years.

“He (Sooryavanshi) did not play in the last series (against West Indies), but we know how good he is, in IPL. We know other players like Abhishek are doing very well. But he (Sooryavanshi) has a huge part to play for India, whether it’s in this series or not, but in future,” Mitchell Santner said.

The New Zealand captain also explained that his side has examined how opposition bowlers have approached Sooryavanshi, particularly during his performances in England and the IPL. With the youngster known for his aggressive stroke play, the visitors are prepared to adjust their plans according to the match situation.

ALSO READ: Amit Mishra Appointed Delhi Capitals Spin-Bowling Coach Ahead Of IPL 2027

“If he does get a crack at this series, we’ve seen what he can do and guys have found it quite hard to stop him. I know in England, they went quite short and hard at a lot of the Indian batters. I think we’ve seen him in the IPL and how aggressive he can be. So we’ve got some plans for him if he happens to play,” Mitchell Santner added.

Meanwhile, India’s experienced fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar could emerge as another major talking point during the series. The right-arm pacer returned to India’s T20I setup after an absence of nearly four years and featured in the fifth T20I against West Indies as an injury replacement for Arshdeep Singh.

Santner believes New Zealand’s conditions could suit Bhuvneshwar’s bowling style, particularly if the pitches offer movement and assistance with the new ball. The Indian pacer has built his reputation on swing, accuracy and his ability to trouble batters even on relatively flat surfaces.

“I think Bhuvi will love these conditions in New Zealand. If there’s anything in the wicket, he finds something out of it. On some flat ones in India, he still managed to nip the ball and swing the ball, so I think with the new ball out here, especially, it’ll be a challenge (for New Zealand),” Mitchell Santner said.

ALSO READ: Sunil Gavaskar Highlights Major Issues In IPL Coaching, Urges Franchises To Appoint Indian Assistants

The New Zealand skipper also pointed to the challenges bowlers face in modern T20 cricket, particularly in India, where high-scoring matches have become increasingly common.

“In India, it’s pretty challenging as a bowler these days. We’ve seen in the recent series, 250 getting chased down. Who wants to be a bowler, but he (Bhuvneshwar) might like it out here a little bit better,” he concluded. With Sooryavanshi’s potential impact and Bhuvneshwar’s return adding intrigue, the India-New Zealand T20I series promises several compelling individual battles.