Mitchell Santner Confident: Daryl Mitchell Will Dominate T20Is vs India

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has expressed confidence that senior batter Daryl Mitchell will successfully carry his outstanding One-Day International (ODI) form into the T20 format as the Black Caps prepare to face reigning world champions India in a five-match T20 International series beginning on Wednesday. Santner highlighted Mitchell’s recent performances as a major positive for the visiting side.

Mitchell was in dominant form during the recently concluded ODI series against India, playing a central role in New Zealand’s historic 2–1 series victory. The right-hander registered scores of 84, an unbeaten 131, and 137, consistently anchoring and accelerating the innings against a strong Indian bowling attack. His performances were widely viewed as a decisive factor in the Black Caps securing their first-ever ODI series win over India.

Speaking on the eve of the T20I series, Santner praised Mitchell’s technical growth, particularly against spin bowling. “Daryl struggled against spin initially. But he worked incredibly hard and you can see the fruits of labour,” Santner said, underlining the batter’s commitment to improving a previously vulnerable area of his game.

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The New Zealand skipper noted that Mitchell’s improved ability to read and attack spin has allowed him to control the tempo of matches, especially during the middle overs in ODIs. Santner said the team is hopeful that this skill set will translate effectively into the shorter T20 format, where managing the middle phase is often crucial.

“He’s playing spin well. He can control the game in middle overs during ODIs. Hope he does something similar in T20Is,” Santner added. The comments reflect New Zealand’s reliance on Mitchell as a stabilising yet aggressive presence in the batting lineup.

With India entering the series as the reigning world champions and playing at home, the T20I contest is expected to be fiercely competitive. New Zealand will be looking to build on the momentum from their ODI success, with Daryl Mitchell’s form likely to be a key factor in shaping the outcome of the series.

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