 "New Zealand haven't won a Test in India since 1988 and are yet to win a series in the format in this part of the world. Reuters")
Team India will look to strengthen their case for the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final when they face New Zealand for a three-match Test series at home, starting with the first Test in Bengaluru from Wednesday. India are coming to this series on the back of a 2-0 clean sweep against Bangladesh, which was also held on home turf.
Rohit Sharma will continue leading the team, with pacer Jasprit Bumrah being named his deputy. It’s important to note that India did not have a vice-captain for the series against Bangladesh. However, with Rohit likely to miss one of the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia Down Under later this year, India might be looking at players who could lead the side in Rohit’s absence.
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The biggest positive from India’s home series against Bangladesh was the way the hosts scripted a miraculous comeback in the second Test in Kanpur , after having lost more than two days of that Test due to rain and wet outfield.
India will be heading to the series against the Black Caps with the same, aggressive batting intent. As far as their bowling is concerned, the onus will fall on pacers Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to produce the goods, whereas Ravichandran Ashwin will continue leading the spin attack.
Mohammed Shami, who is recovering from an ankle injury, continues to remain absent. Also absent from the squad is pacer Yash Dayal, who was reported to have been nursing a shoulder injury. Dayal, however, did play Uttar Pradesh’s Ranji Trophy match against Bengal, registering figures of 4/27 and 0/39 in the two innings.
India are on top of the WTC standings with 74.24 per cent points (98 points), whereas New Zealand are in sixth place with 37.50 per cent points (36 points). New Zealand’s points percentage has significantly dropped following a 0-2 Test series loss to Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in September.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIndia and New Zealand last locked horns in a Test series during the 2021-22 home season in India. India won the two-Test series 1-0 following a 372-run win in the second Test in Mumbai. The first Test that was played in Kanpur had ended in a draw.
Ahead of the India-New Zealand Test series, here’s a quick look at some statistics with respect to the rivalry between the two teams:
Matches played: 62
India wins: 22
New Zealand wins: 13
Draws: 27
Ties: 0
Leading run-scorer: Rahul Dravid –1,659 runs
Leading wicket-taker: R Ashwin –66 wickets
Highest team total: New Zealand –680/8 declared in Wellington, 2014
Lowest team total: New Zealand –62 all out in Mumbai, 2021
Best bowling figures (Innings): 10/119–Ajaz Patel in Mumbai, 2021
Best bowling figures (Match): 14/225–Ajaz Patel in Mumbai, 2021