New Zealand, sans Brendon McCullum, poised for bumpy ride ahead

THE OUTLOOK

Brendon McCullum's New Zealand went a long way in shattering their team's 'also-ran' reputation in major ICC events as they advanced to their first-ever final in the 50-over World Cup in 2015. However, with McCullum announcing retirement ahead of the World T20 in India, New Zealand's chances of repeating their enthralling performances have taken a severe beating. It'd be unfair to write off a squad filled with the likes of Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Tim Southee and Trent Boult, but without McCullum's early onslaught, the squad, especially the batting unit, will be left with a lot of work to do. Colin Muro, who has been in great touch, will be key for the Black Caps.

To their relief, the conditions will suit the batters but to their dismay, it will not be quick enough for the likes of Adam Milne and Mitchell McClenaghan to blitz the batsmen with their pace. They will need to be more accurate than quick, and therein lies the challenge. It will also be interesting to see if Williamson continues to use Corey Anderson as a new-ball bowler in conditions that the all-rounder is in the know of, while Southee and Boult look to shrug of poor run of form after the two-Test series against Australia at home.

ICYMI

Just months ahead of the World T20, Brendon McCullum decided to bring down the curtains on his spectacular international career, expressing his desire to bid adieu in the two-Test series against Australia. The move came as a surprise to most, given that New Zealand could've pushed to better their 2015 World Cup performance, where they finished second-best to Australia. McCullum let go a chance to unleash his carnage in batting-friendly conditions, in exchange for a chance to walk away from the game to a hero's farewell in front of his home fans in New Zealand.

FIVE KEY POINTS

The Brendon McCullum-shaped void: New Zealand arrive in India with a gaping hole in their squad, making life in the Group of Death (involving India, Australia, Pakistan and Bangladesh) a lot tougher. McCullum's all-out-attack approach in predominantly batting-friendly wickets would've made them firm favourites to make it to the semis and even challenge for the title.

Strength: There seems to be a new-found belief in the New Zealand camp since their World Cup outings Down Under, one that could hold them in good stead in the sub-continent. New Zealand will also hope to bank on the vast experience that the likes of Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill bring to the table. Taylor, particularly, comes with the reputation of a big-match player and could hold the aces for New Zealand's chances. While McCullum's place at the top of the order will be hard to fill entirely, the top-order troika of Guptill, Williamson and Colin Munro are capable of throwing many-a-bowling attacks off-guard early. Munro particularly will take a special liking to the flat wickets in India. The 29-year-old, who made his T20I debut in 2012, warmed up for the big event with two absolutely devastating fifties in his last three outings, the first of which was an unbeaten knock of a half-century off just 17 balls against Sri Lanka in Auckland and included as many as seven sixes. Five days later, similar carnage ensued as he whacked around the Pakistan bowling attack at the same venue, this time for a 27-ball 56.

Weakness: While New Zealand will miss the impact of Brendon, it will be his brother, Nathan McCullum, who could be the most crucial squad member in India. The off-spinner is the most experienced in the three-pronged spin attack that includes Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner, who have played a combined tally of 10 matches. In conditions where batsmen are bound to dominate, matches could be won and lost by the impact made by the spin department. With 61 T20I games, Nathan brings along a lot of experience but has also had to deal with a lot of time off the field due injuries. The last time he bowled in an international fixture was seven months ago in August 2015. The challenge for him, then, will be to successfully overcome any rustiness due to all the time spent away from the field and translate his experience into notable performances over the next few weeks.IPL, PSL and T20 familiarity: New Zealand's fine run in the group stages of World Cup 2015 came entirely in home conditions. The first match that New Zealand played away from home was the final, where they deservedly finished second-best. However, the likes of Taylor, Southee and even Williamson will walk in with their experiences of playing in India in the Indian Premier League (IPL). New Zealand could also rely on Grant Elliott to provide the much-needed impetus in the lower-middle order. His heroics against South Africa in the 2015 World Cup semifinal showcased his prowess of performing under pressure. His foray in the PSL, where he bowled effective medium pace and bagged 12 wickets for runners-up Quetta Gladiators, could also come in handy in games where a strike bowler is taken apart.

Form: The silver lining for New Zealand is their excellent form that they carry into the tournament. The Williamson-led side blanked Pakistan in a three-match T20I series at home, including a comprehensive 10-wicket win in chase of 170.

SPOTLIGHT'S ON:

Kane Williamson has had a rollicking couple of years with the bat. He has been one of the most pleasing batsmen to watch operate, and comes across as the last remaining strand that connects the cricketing world of today - the audacious 360-degree stroke-making batsmen - to the one of yesteryear - where helicopter were used to refer to the aerial vehicle only. Even with his 'correct' methods, Williamson have proven to be quite a competitor in the shortest format of the game. The wiry-framed New Zealander has all that it takes to be considered one of the world's best, but now comes a big challenge, that of leading his side in a major event. The standards set by McCullum are immensely high and it will be interesting to see how far Williamson can go in inspiring his team and lifting their performances to a similar level.

Schedule

Mar 15, Tuesday: vs India, Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur

Mar 17, Saturday: vs Australia, Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala

Mar 22, Wednesday: vs Pakistan, Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali

Mar 26, Sunday: vs Bangladesh, Eden Gardens, Kolkata

EXPERT OPINION

"New Zealand is the team that can beat India. I am worried about their batting. If India bat first and score 200, New Zealand are capable of chasing it down." - Virender Sehwag rates Kane Williamson & Co. highly.

BOTTOMLINE

Plying their trade in the Group of Death will not be easy for New Zealand. With India peaking before the tournament, Australia chasing their elusive T20 title, Pakistan eyeing a second trophy as a token of 'returns on investments' from the inaugural edition of PSL, and Bangladesh aiming to hit a new gear, New Zealand will have to play out of their skins to go past the Super 10 stage.

Prediction: Super 10