New Zealand v India Second T20 Player Tips: Yadav and Phillips stand out

• Yadav boosted to 7/2

• Phillips brilliant venue record

• Win rates for top India bat

New Zealand v India
Sunday 20 October, 06:30
TV: Live on BT Sports

Will Kiwis and India learn?

The weather threatens to make the second T20 between New Zealand and India at Mount Manganui on Sunday another washout. Not a ball was bowled in game one. Yet even a five-over thrash and splash could be instructive for punters.

The World Cup may have been over barely only a few days and criticisim of the ludicrous scheduling that has ensured post-tournament is justified. But it does give New Zealand and India an early chance to show that they have learnt something.

Indeed, in that regard the two teams are microcosms of the sport's struggles in general to adapt to its newest format. Even though men's international T20 is 17 years old, the World Cup provided more evidence that either teams don't understand it or don't have the guts to.

The risk versus reward equation remains beyind both the Kiwis and Indians it would seem. Chiefly, they have not been aggressive enough. This has been personified by Kane Wiliamson and Virat Kohli. Arguably both men costs their teams dearly with go-slow innings at crucial times from the No 3 position.

It is not unreasonable to reckon that both would have been better off promotiong Glenn Phillips and Suryakumar Yadav respectively. They were two of the most destructive batters in the competition and were comfortable in risking their wicket for the ebenfit of the team.

So in Mount Maunganui, do New Zealand in a potentially reduced-over contest bat Williamson or Phillips at No 3? Do India get Yadav in as quickly as possible or do they attempt to make case for another at first down? RIshabh pant perhaps?

What we do know is that both men are value for top runscorer honours. Sportsbook have boosted Yadav to 7/2 (22.2% implied probability) and Phillips is priced at 9/2 (18.2%). Yadav has won at a rate of 27.7% in the last two years and Phillips at 27.5.

Hooda could open

The general rule with India top-bat is that if Yadav doesn't win, Kohli does so the absence of the former is a boost. It's a surprise Sportsbook have bumped up his price.

And perhaps the real gamble here is whether New Zealand and India realise the need to get Yadav and Phillips in as quickly as possible.

In the absence of India's 'big three', it is instructive to look at the win rates of their replacements below. Deepak Hooda stands out at Sportsbook's 14/1. It's a price which says: we don't know where he'll bat. And it's true, we don't. In a thrash he could well be promoted.

Ina 12-over match against Ireland in June Hooda opened and whacked 47 from 29. The top four was Hooha, Kishan, Yadav and Hardik Pandya. A repeat of that would be smart.

Phillips is also a wager on ground form. He has a ton on this ground and in five innings he has 196 runs at atrike rate of 183.

Win rates last two years/Sportsbook odds
Kishan 17%-4/1
Hooda 20%-14/1
Pant 3%-5/1
Iyer 22%-16/5
Samson 0%-