Bengaluru: For India, the series against New Zealand will be about finding the momentum for the Border-Gavaskar Series in Australia. While the Kiwis will pose a much sterner challenge than Bangladesh, India are expected to cruise to a comfortable victory against a team facing troubles across the batting and bowling departments.
The Kane Williamson-less side is coming on the back of a 0-2 series loss in Sri Lanka and the challenge gets tougher against a team, that at the moment, looks invincible at home. The Kiwis, who were blown away by the Lankan spinners, will face a sterner test in the form of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja – two modern-day greats, who will pose a much more dangerous threat on home surfaces.
Bengaluru: India’s R Ashwin bowls during a training session ahead of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. (PTI Photo)
The spin twins snared 20 wickets together against Bangladesh and with the Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch expected to provide some help to the spinners as the match progresses, the Kiwis are likely to get the same treatment from India’s spin wizards.
New Zealand, on their current form, are a perfect practice opponent to build momentum and regain the form for out-of-sorts players ahead of the epic showdown in Australia in November.
While India are clear favourites to clinch their 18th successive series win at home, they would take the Kiwis lightly at their peril, especially when there’s plenty at stake.
Reputation
India have built a fierce reputation at home in red-ball cricket over the last decade. The last time India lost a Test series at home was in 2012. Since then, India have won 17 successive Test series to set unprecedented dominance at home.
“It’s nearly impossible to beat India in India,” former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja remarked earlier this year after India beat Australia by six wickets in Delhi in February 2023 to take a 2-0 series lead and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Bengaluru: Indian Captain Rohit Sharma with coach Gautam Gambhir and Rishabh Pant inspects the pitch during a training session ahead of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. (PTI Photo)
India’s home dominance is unlike anything ever witnessed in Test cricket with teams facing a near-impossible task of beating them.
A series loss against New Zealand, which looks highly unlikely, will not only end India’s dominance but also tarnish their strong reputation at home.
Third successive WTC final spot
India consolidated the top spot in the World Test Championship table following the 2-0 series sweep against Bangladesh. India, who currently sit atop the WTC Standing with a win percentage of 74.24, need just three wins from their remaining eight matches to all but confirm a third successive WTC final berth.
A three-nil whitewash against New Zealand will help India extend their WTC lead to 79.76 per cent barring any deductions due to slow over rates. If India sweep the series against the Kiwis will all but seal India’s spot in the WTC 2023-25 final and give them a chance to redeem themselves after losing two successive summit clashes in the premier Test competition.
Team India registered a mammoth victory against Bangladesh in the second and final Test at Kanpur. (Photo: X)
Additionally, India will exact revenge on the Kiwis, who beat them in the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship.
Imperative for Kohli and Rohit to regain form ahead of BGT
India would want their stalwarts – Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – to be in the best possible frame of mind on the Australia tour. The 5-Test series is being dubbed as the biggest battle in red-ball cricket and for India to pose a challenge Down Under, Kohli and Rohit’s return to form is imperative.
While Rohit, has scored two centuries in 15 innings this year, he has only managed one fifty in the remaining 13, His aggregate of 497 runs in eight Tests at an average of just over 35 isn’t exactly a cause of concern but doesn’t do justice to his calibre and ability.
Meanwhile, Kohli, who is 53 runs away from completing 9000 Test runs, has not crossed the 50-run mark in six innings this year.
Bengaluru: India’s Virat Kohli bats in the nets during a training session ahead of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. (PTI Photo)
The 35-year-old Kohli, who made a reputation of converting his starts to big scores, has failed on that front this year. Despite getting starts against South Africa and Bangladesh, Kohli failed to score a half-century getting out for 46 and 47 respectively. His form is stirring the painful memories of that horrific slump between 2019 and 2023.
The Delhi dasher will look to conquer his weakness by bringing out his dominant version and curb his survival instincts against New Zealand left-arm spinners – Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel and Rachin Ravindra – the variety of bowling that has been a thorn in his flesh in the past.
IND vs NZ: India enter the New Zealand series as clear favourites and are primed to clinch their 18th successive series win at home But they would take the Kiwis lightly at their peril, especially when there’s plenty at stake. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
