The much-anticipated five-match T20I series between India and New Zealand is slated to get underway on Thursday (October 22) in Christchurch.

On the eve of the series, Kiwi skipper Mitchell Santner acknowledged the threat of India's left-handed batting prodigy, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, highlighting that New Zealand bowlers have already prepared blueprint strategies specifically for him should he break into the playing XI.

Despite Santner's caution and the tactical tracking from the opposition, India captain Shreyas Iyer confirmed at the pre-series press conference that Sooryavanshi will have to wait his turn.

The Indian team management intends to stick with the heavily settled, World Cup-winning opening combination of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, who have been remarkably consistent at the top of the order.

However, Santner believes the teenager has a critical role to play for India, whether in this series or in the future.

"He (Sooryavanshi) did not play in the last series (against West Indies), but we know how good he is, in IPL. We know other players like Abhishek are doing very well. But he (Sooryavanshi) has a huge part to play for India, whether it's in this series or not, but in future," Santner told reporters.

He pointed out at the struggles of Indian batters, including Sooryavanshi, against short-pitched bowling on the tour of England earlier this year.

"If he does get a crack at this series, we've seen what he can do and guys have found it quite hard to stop him. I know in England, they went quite short and hard at a lot of the Indian batters. I think we've seen him in the IPL and how aggressive he can be. So we've got some plans for him if he happens to play," Santner added.

Santner also addressed the return of veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to India's T20I setup after an extended four-year hiatus. He emphasized that if flat Indian tracks couldn't completely neutralize Bhuvneshwar's ability to nip and swing the ball, the seam-friendly, cooler conditions of New Zealand will play directly into his hands.

"I think Bhuvi will love these conditions in New Zealand. If there's anything in the wicket, he finds something out of it. On some flat ones in India, he still managed to nip the ball and swing the ball, so I think with the new ball out here, especially, it'll be a challenge (for New Zealand).

"In India, it's pretty challenging as a bowler these days. We've seen in the recent series, 250 getting chased down. Who wants to be a bowler, but he (Bhuvneshwar) might like it out here a little bit better."

Santner hoped for a bowler-friendly series while acknowledging that the teams must remain adaptive to how different pitches behave.

"I hope so. I think maybe the first game it might be, but it can change pretty quickly. It's very weather dependent. The second game is a used pitch, same pitch we used for first game. It could be a bit flatter.

"If it nips around, we've got to play accordingly. If it's flat, you've got to play accordingly," said the 34-year-old left-arm spinner.

He highlighted that India is a well-gelled unit whose batters have a proven track record on fast, bouncy wickets worldwide, meaning they possess the experience to alter their shot selection dynamically.

"If there is a little bit in it, you might have to change a few shots, but they've played on fast, bouncy wickets before. They've played all around the world and done really well. It's going to be a challenge this series and we're looking forward to it," Santner stated.

"They (India) are a well-gelled team and playing some good cricket. We know the conditions will be a little bit different to what they've had at home. The pitches here will be a little bit bouncy. I guess there's still memories and a lot of this group were at the World Cup.

"And obviously the series beforehand where India beat us 4-1. So again, we know that they're a great team and have done it for a long time," he remarked.

Santner mentioned the tactical challenges both teams face due to a grueling travel schedule across different venues in New Zealand, where changing pitch dimensions and atmospheric conditions will demand deep squad rotation and quick adaptability

"We're going around the country, conditions can change. I think both teams are changing a little bit just with the schedule and the quick turnaround. So, it's going to be a full squad effort for both teams to put in some good performances," he concluded.