Amid some vibrant monasteries, historic temples, scenic mountains and waterfalls, museums and a picturesque ground, the top two teams of the 2023 World Cup so far – India and New Zealand – will lock horns at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.
India seem to have fitted the right nuts and bolts for almost every single position. To make it even better, every single time the hosts have found themselves in a bit of quicksand, they seem to have dug themselves to a position of safety. In the game against Bangladesh, Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das had put the Indian bowlers under some pressure. But all the five frontline bowlers whittled away at the opposition, with Jasprit Bumrah leading from the front. Virat Kohli then provided fireworks with the bat, cracking a superlative hundred.
That brings us to the one small piece of the puzzle that still needs to be solved. An ankle injury picked up in that win over Bangladesh ruled out Hardik Pandya. Should India pick Shardul Thakur, the bowling all-rounder? Or try out Mohammed Shami? Shami’s ability to hit an upright seam could turn out to be a decisive factor at this ground. In the Netherlands-South Africa game played at Dharamsala, both sets of pace bowlers extracted nifty movement. In the second innings, in particular, it seamed around quite a bit. There were a couple of spells of rain, and some moisture may have seeped in.
To complicate the selection scenario further, Suryakumar Yadav jarred this wrist in practice on Saturday evening. He had been expected to slot in at No. 6 in place of Pandya, against a New Zealand attack that has been potent in most conditions.
What about New Zealand? With Kane Williamson still ruled out due to a finger injury, Tom Latham will once again lead the side. In Williamson’s absence, Latham has acted as a trusted lieutenant, leading the side with some nous and grit. Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Will Young and Glenn Phillips have all made timely contributions. Mark Chapman batting at seven adds further leverage to the batting unit.
Matt Henry has been the leader of the pace pack. The experienced pacer has employed his trademark scrambled seam, a hint of swing and well-directed short deliveries to pick up nine wickets in the tournament so far. Meanwhile, Mitchell Santner has again showcased his skills to vary his pace and length, and is currently the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 11. Lockie Ferguson has returned to form, while Trent Boult provides them with loads of experience.
So, who will blink and lose a game first? Perhaps India’s all-round strength would overwhelm New Zealand. Or would the plucky Black Caps once more surprise their fancied opponents in an ICC tournament?
Time and Venue Details
October 22, 2 PM local time, Dharamsala
Expected conditions
There is enough grass on the surface, although the curator looks set to shave off a portion of it. The ground is at an altitude of 1457 m. So, the ball is set to travel further at this stadium due to a decrease in air resistance. The conditions could be humid but there is no or little chance of rain as per the forecast.
Possible XIs
Despite Tim Southee being passed fit, New Zealand could retain the same side that defeated Afghanistan.
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (c, wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult.
With the likely conditions in mind, India could opt for Shami ahead of Shardul. Hardik Pandya has been ruled out with an ankle issue. So, Suryakumar Yadav or Ishan Kishan might come into the equation.
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Suryakumar Yadav/Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.
Matchups
Matt Henry versus the Indian top order: The pace bowler ran through the Indian top three in the 2019 World Cup semi-final. His scrambled-seam variety could once more turn out to be India’s bugbear in Dharamsala.
Team Speak
“It’s nice to have Ishan [Kishan] playing well, being a left-hander. But Surya’s [Suryakumar Yadav] also come into some form against Australia. He played a couple of fantastic innings. Absolutely fantastic player against spin – left-arm spin, right-arm spin, any kind of spin for that matter. And the role may be for a middle-overs role.” – Rahul Dravid, India coach.
“India’s top order has been fantastic this tournament and again, our bowling attack has done a really good job upfront as well. That’s going to be a great contest.” Tom Latham, New Zealand captain.