IND vs NZ 2023: Shubman Gill will start ahead of Prithvi Shaw – Hardik Pandya

India’s T20I captain Hardik Pandya has confirmed that Shubman Gill will start ahead of Prithvi Shaw in the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand. Gill has been in fantastic form in the recent past and he will look to grab his chance in the T20I format.

The youngster scored 360 runs in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, matching Babar Azam’s record for most runs in a bilateral three-match series. Gill scored 208 runs in the opening ODI against the Kiwis and became the youngest to score a double ton in the 50-overs version.

Furthermore, Gill backed it up with another scintillating knock of 116 runs in the third ODI. Thus, he was awarded the Player of the Series.

On the other hand, Prithvi Shaw was added to India’s T20I squad after an impressive run in the domestic season. Shaw scored a magnum opus knock of 383 runs against Assam in the Ranji Trophy. Earlier in the season, Shaw had also scored a century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

When Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the series against the Blackcaps with a wrist injury, it increased the possibility that Shaw could play in the T20I series. However, Pandya confirmed that Gill will be backed ahead of Shaw because of his dream form in the ODI format.

“Shaw will have to wait for his opportunity as Gill has done very well and was already part of the T20 team,” Pandya said in the pre-match press conference.

Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill had opened the innings in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka and both of these are expected to once again open against the Kiwis.

The first T20I between India and New Zealand will be played in Ranchi on Friday.

India’s T20I squad against New Zealand: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Suryakumar Yadav (vice-captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Prithvi Shaw, Mukesh Kumar.