Can New Zealand stop India’s big hitters? Santner reveals his plan

New Zealand white-ball captain Mitchell Santner has outlined his tactical approach to counter India's explosive batting lineup ahead of an upcoming five-match T20I series. Santner highlighted the aggressive threat posed by top-order batters including Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He stressed that New Zealand's bowlers must quickly adapt to local conditions and maintain tactical discipline to contain the visitors' powerful lineup.

Santner emphasized focusing on deliveries between boundaries to secure dot balls and wickets, noting that restricting India to around 200 runs could represent a strong bowling performance in New Zealand. He also noted that potential early-season movement in Christchurch could help counter India's attack. Additionally, Santner noted that India may arrive with extra motivation following New Zealand's earlier Test and ODI series triumphs.