Daryl Mitchell playing one of his glorious trademark straight drives. Photo / Photosport
Two new faces have been called into the Black Caps for their Twenty20 series against India.
Northern Districts batting all-rounder Daryl Mitchell and Central Districts seamer Blair Tickner have been given the opportunity to potentially make their international debuts, after both have impressed in the domestic Twenty20 Super Smash.
Mitchell,
the son of former All Blacks coach John, has long been a player of interest for Northern Districts, being arguably the cleanest hitter down the ground in New Zealand. While in the past he sometimes struggled to score at a fast enough clip, being a slow starter early in his career, this season he has smoked 281 runs at a strike rate of 141.
That includes a blistering 61 from 23 balls against Central Districts last Friday, with Mitchell's career averages in Twenty20 cricket - 34 at a strike rate of 126 - complementing his handy death bowling to be deserving of an international debut next week.
Mitchell has been named in the squad for all three internationals, while Tickner will join the team for the third match in Hamilton; replacing Lockie Ferguson, who will only play the first two Twenty20s.
