Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir wants Team India to rest Bhuvneshwar Kumar and give Avesh Khan a chance in the third T20I against New Zealand.
Team India has already taken a 2-0 lead in the T20I series against New Zealand with one match to go. Both the teams will play the third and the final game on Sunday (21st November).
With series already in the bag, Team India can give chance to a few youngsters and test their bench strength. The likes of Avesh Khan and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who starred in the IPL 2021, can see themselves in the playing XI against New Zealand.
While Gaikwad was the orange cap holder in the IPL 2021 with 635 runs, Avesh Khan was the star performer for Delhi Capitals as he took 24 wickets and finished the season as the second-highest wicket-taker.
In an interaction on Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir said that India can rest Bhuvneshwar Kumar and play Avesh Khan on the Kolkata wicket as it has pace and bounce. He added that the paver should be tested on the international stage.
"From a bowling point of view, they can actually rest Bhuvneshwar Kumar and look at Avesh Khan. It will suit him especially the wicket in Kolkata, it's got pace and bounce. So I would definitely want to see Avesh playing that game. He has got pace and you got to test him on the international stage when you got the series in your bag. So that is one change they can look towards," Gautam Gambhir said.
Gautam Gambhir said that with the series already in the bag, Team India can express themselves a bit more and wrap the series 3-0.
“You still have to be ruthless and try to wrap up the series 3-0. But no point putting pressure on yourself," he said.
It remains to be seen if Team India will test their bench strength in the dead rubber third T20I at Kolkata.
(Star Sports inputs)
