The fact that New Zealand have gone in with a spin troika for the World event shows how they feel about the conditions that they are likely to encounter here in India. The Kiwis probably have the most Fantastico pace bowling attack in world cricket right now, so much so that Matt Henry, a young man at the peak of his powers, is unable to find a place in the squad of 15. Let us look at the Kiwi spin trio and what they bring to the table and what impact they are likely to have on the Indian pitches.
Nathan McCullum
The elder brother of Brendon McCullum, Nathan is an off spinner and a very athletic fielder just like his younger sibling. He does not impart much spin on the ball but instead relies on his variations of flight and pace only occasionally tossing the ball up when the pitch is of an assisting kind. He is a clever and thinking cricketer who is alert to the situation and he has the ability to bowl in the power-play overs as well.
He had been plying his skills in various T20 leagues around the world and is a battle hardened individual. His experience will surely stand the Kiwis in good stead on the Indian pitches. He is also a much underrated lower order batsman and a kamikaze fielder.
Impact Rating - 6/10
Mitchell Santner
Santner made his international debut in the first ever Pink Ball Day Night test that was played between New Zealand and Australia at the Adelaide Oval. He put up a gritty performance both with the bat and the ball and has since been a regular and important member of the Kiwi side in all formats. He is a slow left arm orthodox bowler who many think is a part timer but he has manned to impress me with his control and variations.
He has managed to pick wickets against every opposition, in nearly every game that he had played in, thus making a strong impact on the match. The fact that he has a rock solid temperament and seems unfazed by pressure and expectations means that he has all the ingredients to succeed at the highest level. He will be a very important bowler for the Kiwis in the Indian conditions and his for overs will be very crucial to their overall performance.
Impact Rating - 7.5/10
Ish Sodhi
Born in Ludhiana, India, playing the ICC WT20 in India will be a homecoming of sorts for this tall leg break bowler. He has the built of a fast bowler and has an aggressive streak to him but he practises a much more subtle and difficult craft of fearlessly flighting the ball and generating ample amount of turn. He has the potential to be a genuine match winner for New Zealand in India and if he can land the ball accurately, something that most leg spinners have trouble in doing, he will surely be a big threat to any opposition in the tournament.
Impact Rating - 6/10
The New Zealanders have picked three spin bowlers, all different from each other and have the liberty to pick and choose depending on the conditions that will play in and the opposition that they will play against. This will surely help them especially if they manage to go deep into the tournament where the pitches will get tired, thus affording more assistance to the slower bowlers.
This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.
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