ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Sunil Gavaskar Picks India Playing 11 for New Zealand Clash

Sunil Gavaskar Picks India Playing 11: A lot of questions have come up after Team India’s comprehensive 10-wicket loss at the hands of Pakistan in their opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. The Virat Kohli-led team have got a much-needed break of a week before they take on New Zealand on 31 October at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Former India legend Sunil Gavaskar has suggested some important changes in the India playing XI for the New Zealand game.

Sunil Gavaskar Picks India Playing 11 for New Zealand Clash

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar recently mentioned that he wants to drop the out of form duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya from the playing 11 for their second match. Hardik managed to score just 11 runs in the first match against Pakistan while Bhuvneshwar failed to pick up a single having conceded 25 runs and both these players did not perform well in the recently concluded Indian Premier League 2021 season. Gavaskar stated that the pair of Shardul Thakur and Ishan Kishan should be included in the India playing 11 for the New Zealand match.

“If Hardik Pandya is not bowling – due to that shoulder injury he sustained in the match against Pakistan – Ishan Kishan has been in brilliant form so I will surely consider him ahead of Pandya,” said Sunil Gavaskar in a conversation with Sports Tak.

“And perhaps, you can think of Shardul Thakur in place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. But otherwise, if you make too many changes, then you will show the opposition that you have panicked,” he further added.

Sunil Gavaskar’s India Playing 11

Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy.

India vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2021

Indian captain Virat Kohli and Sunil Gavaskar have noted that there is no need to push the panic button after the Pakistan loss. Ahead of the New Zealand clash, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya was seen bowling in the nets and the team is expected to take a final call on his fitness on Friday. On the other hand, New Zealand’s senior opener Martin Guptill is also struggling with a bruised toe which he sustained in the last match against Pakistan. However, the Kiwi team management is quite hopeful that Guptill will be fit for the match against India on Sunday.

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