New Zealand vs India T20I series : India's Predicted Playing XI

5. Rishabh Pant (wk)

Pant is the leading wicketkeeper-batter in the Indian team across formats. He has played some jaw-dropping innings for India at the biggest of stages and won many games for the side. However, most of his incredible knocks have come in the Tests and ODIs and the 25-year-old has not had the same success in the shortest format.

In the T20Is, the Haridwar-born has played 62 matches and scored 961 runs at a strike rate of 127.45. These numbers do not do justice to the caliber Pant possesses and the ace-batter would look to make amends in the T20I assignment against the Blackcaps.

The presence of the southpaw in the middle order enables the Men in Blue to play the match-up game. Pant has done a decent job in New Zealand in the past smashing 72 runs in three games played so far at a strike rate of 144.00. He would look to replicate the performance in the upcoming series.