Matt Henry versus India’s top-order
Since the start of 2022, the experienced New Zealand pace bowler has bagged 67 wickets at an average of just over 23 in ODIs. The plucky seamer can move the ball both ways. More importantly, he possesses a deceptive wobble ball. After setting up right-hand batters with deliveries that leave them, Henry looks to bowl the one that just goes straight or wobbles in a bit after pitching. With the ball wobbling very little in the air and the wrist action indicating that it could leave the right-hander, there is a chance of a right-hand batter getting befuddled.
During the 2019 World Cup semi-final played at Old Trafford, Henry had reduced India to 5 for 3. Even in the group phase game between the two sides, Henry ended up dislodging Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill upfront. Although the counter-argument to that would be how Rohit Sharma explored different parts of the ground while facing Henry and co. in the 2023 World Cup game in Dharamsala.
Additionally, New Zealand could be contemplating employing Will O’Rourke’s hit-the-deck skills as a match-up versus Axar Patel.
Santner versus right-hand batters
Over a period of time, the New Zealand skipper has become the lynchpin of their spin attack. If you excavate more information, in the last three years, he has dislodged Virat Kohli and KL Rahul twice each. However, he hasn’t yet dismissed Gill over nine matches in that phase. Santner’s key strengths are subtle changes in angles, lines and lengths, alongside imparting revs on the ball and his stop-start action. The onus would be on especially Kohli to pick the length early in order to use the depth of the crease while facing Santner.
The Varun Chakaravarthy threat
In the previous game between India and New Zealand, Varun took a five-for. He has also been in a rich vein of form. So, he could end up posing a threat to a slew of New Zealand batters. The spinner has enough variations in his armour, but he has also become a fine all-round bowler in the abridged versions of the game. He now can impart overspin or bowl side-spin. Varun can vary his pace from 88 kph to as high as 112 kph, along with small tweaks in lines and lengths. The New Zealand camp would be poring through videos in order to study and chisel out a way against Varun’s bowling template.
Axar-Jadeja combo up against right-handers
Both are left-arm orthodox spinners, but they have slightly different skill-sets. Jadeja gives it a fair amount of rip and if there is any kind of assistance from the surface, he becomes a master of side-spin and deception. On enough occasions, the batters seem to struggle to understand which one of the offerings is going straight or the delivery that turns away from the right-hand batter.
If the Dubai surface for the final offers any help for the spinners, Jadeja would become doubly dangerous. Meanwhile, Axar Patel is known for bowling dots and using the undercutter to good effect. The twosome also have impressive economy rates in the tournament so far—4.78 and 4.51 respectively.