Team India have decided to pick Nitish Kumar Reddy over Shivam Dube for the 1st T20I match against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Thursday.
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Nitish Kumar Reddy (left) and Shivam Dube(Photo: IANS)
India vs New Zealand 2026 1st T20: Shreyas Iyer had the choice to play one out of two pace-bowling all-rounders – Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy – for the first T20I match against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Thursday and they have chosen to go in with the latterWhile Dube has been the more experienced all-rounder of the two, Reddy’s superior bowling ability helped him get the nod.
Reddy and Mayank Yadav were two changes made by the visiting Indian team for the first game from their last T20I match against West Indies last Saturday, replacing Dube and Prince Yadav respectivelyFormer India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes Reddy should be chosen ahead of Dube because Team India needs a ‘bowling all-rounder’.
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Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Out or Not Out’, Pujara discussed India’s choice between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube for the New Zealand T20I series“In the T20 format, in my opinion, no player’s spot in the playing eleven is completely cemented because you select the team based on conditionsSo, if the Indian team needs a bowling all-rounder, then Nitish Kumar Reddy can be that, because his bowling is better than Shivam Dube’s,” Pujara said.
“If you are looking for a batter at number seven, then it’s not even a conversationShivam Dube is a good batter who can give you one or two overs in the T20 formatBut if there are conditions in New Zealand where you need a bowler first, and someone who can go and bat at number seven or eight, then Nitish Kumar Reddy can be that option,” he added.
Shivam Dube took big wickets in World Cup: Abhishek Nayar
However, Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Abhishek Nayar believes Dube could be a better option for the conditions in New ZealandShreyas Iyer’s team are facing off against the Black Caps in a five-match T20I series which got underway on Thursday.
“I think there is more trust in Shivam Dube because he has done it for IndiaNitish Kumar Reddy has bowled well for SRH, but so far for India in T20Is, unfortunately, he hasn’t played that role yetIn the World Cup, we saw that in big matches, Shivam Dube took big wickets with his bouncers, with his line and short-pitched lengthSo, I think there is more trust in Shivam Dube overall,” Nayar told JioHotstar.
“Also, with the power and the number at which he bats, I think he suits the Indian team and its makeup right nowSo, I believe that, especially in New Zealand conditions, Shivam Dube will be more effective because he hits the deckShivam Dube is a tall bowler, which gives him a little more bounce than Nitish Kumar Reddy in foreign conditions,” former India assistant coach added.
On why Kuldeep Yadav’s presence will add a different dimension to India’s line-up, Nayar said, “There will be a bit of seam and swing, and often, in conditions where there is no deviation off the pitch, a wrist spinner comes into play because the trajectory is different, and the ball will skid slightlyI always believe that when Kuldeep Yadav bowls, there is a question in every team’s mind, mostly among foreign players, about how to tackle himYou think strategically about which overs he will bowl.
“In the powerplay, fast bowlers will bowl most of the oversIf spin bowlers bowl, when will they bowl? When will Kuldeep Yadav be used? Post six oversWhen will Varun Chakaravarthy be used? Post six oversThere, I feel Kuldeep Yadav will give another dimension to the Indian team, especially against New Zealanders in those conditions,” he added.
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India vs New Zealand 2026 Playing 11
India: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Yadav
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Nathan Smith, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson
