India is currently on a tour of New Zealand for a lengthy series in all formats. The first T20 which was held in Auckland was won by India quite easily at the end thanks to an all-round performance by the team. The bowlers primarily Thakur and Shami went for some heavy runs but since this is India’s first game in what seems like a ground with very odd boundaries, it gets a pass.
New Zealand performed equally well and if it wasn’t for the dropped catch and a missed run out, they could have won the match. The second T20 is being held at the same ground, so it will be interesting to look at how the bowlers perform given they’ve now known the oddity of the boundary lines. Let’s look at both the teams and predict the best team for dream 11.
India
Batting
Rohit Sharma misjudged the ball and was out after hitting a six of the very previous ball. He will be retained as he’s undroppable at the moment. Another player that cannot be dropped in KL Rahul. He’s being moved up and down the order for quite some time now, but he has performed everywhere consistently and should be the first name on dream 11. Kohli is another batsman who scores everywhere he goes and did so again with a nifty 45 in the first match. The man of the match Iyer has been performing every single game but is often overshadowed by the legends up top. In the last game, he performed under pressure and won India the game which increases his confidence and is a sure shot for the dream 11 team. Dube doesn’t give the same confidence as Iyer but could be a good differential for people entering with multiple teams as he bowls as well. Jadeja is another all-rounder but bats so low down the order that there is very little chance of him scoring significant runs.
Bowling
India’s bowling was nothing to talk about in the first game, not because of the quality of bowling attack but because the boundaries are so small that there is nothing in it for them. Bumrah was excellent and single-handedly restricted the New Zealanders at 203 with his two quality overs at the death. However, at this wicket spinners are most likely to get wickets.
In the first game itself, out of 9 wickets, 4 spinners took 5 wickets whereas 7 pacers could only manage 4 wickets combined.
Chahal was excellent and should be retained along with Jadeja who took 1 wicket in 2 overs. Shami and Thakur went for runs and I think there’s a slight chance of one of them being replaced with either Kuldeep of Saini.
New Zealand
Batting
New Zealand batted really well, Munro and Guptill played aggressive cricket from the get-go and given small boundaries, they scored quite freely. Williamson, however, looked quite dangerous, more so than before as he hit sixes for fun. I would certainly keep him in the dream 11 team today. Grandhomme was disappointing with bat and he did not even bowl. Since they’re playing at the same ground he might not bowl again. I don’t think he’ll be dropped though since it was the first game. He could be used as a differential. Taylor bats next and he showed why he’s considered the best cross-batted player. He was not out at 54 at just 27 deliveries. The boundaries are small so he gets a place in my team. Seifert doesn’t inspire confidence and Santner doesn’t have enough ball left when he comes to the crease.
Bowling
Shodi took 2 wickets and Santner 1 cementing the fact that spinners have a better chance at this pitch. Southee, Bennett, and Ticker looked ordinary thanks to the pitch and also the opposition batting line up.
Dream 11 predictions
The match is being played on the same ground, a ground that is too small for pacers to get anything out of. The ball goes for a six even if it’s mistimed, so I would suggest not to make the team pace attack heavy. Just go with the tried and tested spinners. Chahal, Jadeja, Santner, and Sodhi should all be looked at. Kuldeep would be a huge differential if he plays. Jadeja didn’t bowl his full overs as Kohli was waiting for the left-hander Munro to get out first, but would certainly bowl his full quota in the 2nd match. Every player plays Bumrah with utmost respect which is the reason why he’s not getting many wickets in recent times, but the teams would be looking to score even more runs meaning players would have to hit Bumrah too. That opens up a chance for him to get wickets since he bowls at the very end.
Batting is pretty much stacked, with Rohit, Rahul, Kohli, Iyer, Munro, Guptill, Williamson and Taylor, there is too much to choose from. A team with these batsmen and above bowlers with appropriate differential options would win the dream 11 contest.
Dream 11 Team
Both teams are in great form and all the batsmen are scoring runs, Dream 11 players should look for differentials, the players who can make a difference in the team, which are not selected by many. Those are the players that could win you the contest.
