🏏NZ Tour of India 2024: 2nd Test: 24 to 29 Oct 24, Day 3 - Pg 28 🏏

🏏New Zealand Tour of India 2024: 2nd Test: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on 24/010/2024 @ 9:30 AM IST🏏

Conditions were a much-talked-about aspect in the first Test of the series in Bengaluru. Following Rohit Sharma's misreading of the pitch and the overheads, New Zealand made better use of what suited them. In Pune, that could still be a point of contention as New Zealand gets in with a shot at history. They could be met with a lot drier conditions in Pune, and the challenge now would be to try and beat India in different ways.

If there isn't much assistance for the pacers, can they still find ways of breaking through and putting India under pressure? Can their spinners step up after having a lacklustre outing in not-so-favourable conditions in Bengaluru? With the three Tests coming with little turnaround time, New Zealand may have an edge as they look to carry that confidence forward. They'd managed that win despite the lack of runs from senior batters such as Tom Latham and Daryl Mitchell, and would be hoping that the duo strengthen their fold by chipping in.

India were floating in a similar boat till after that dreaded first-innings in Bengaluru, but with fifties for both Rohit and Virat Kohli, some of those nerves ought to have eased. They've shown a keenness to embrace an aggressive batting approach, and some part of that approach contributed to their 46 all out. While they still want to stick to that philosophy largely, there is also a pushback towards doing it at the right times.

"There's a balance that needs to be struck and it's something we work on all the time with the players and it's something that they're aware of as well," said Ryan ten Doeschate, the assistant coach. The approach from teams across the world is also influenced by the World Test Championship believed Doeschate. "I think the nature of the WTC where draws are worth nothing essentially, four points compared to 12. So always in the back of the mind, you're trying to push the game forward and it takes a bit of bravery to do that and some teams are doing it very successfully. We want to make sure that our guys are equipped to do that when needed as well."

If India were to lose the Pune Test, they'd need to win four of their six remaining Tests until the WTC final, to make sure they get there without relying on other results. With five of them in Australia, they'd be happier if they tried and get as many in the bank at home

Teams

India: There would be selection headaches for the Indian team after Sarfaraz Khan's 150 in the first Test. Additionally, the injury concerns over Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant have ended and both are set to feature in the playing eleven. This could leave KL Rahul's position in jeopardy. On the bowling front, the addition of Washington Sundar and the thought of using him against left-handers could mean Kuldeep Yadav might miss out if he comes in. Similarly, with Mohammed Siraj's middling returns, there is a possibility of resting him and being replaced by Akash Deep.

Probable XI: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Washington Sundar/Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj/Akash Deep

New Zealand: Like India, New Zealand too could suffer a few selection headaches. They were spared of one of them with Kane Williamson being ruled out, allowing Will Young to stay put. But with drier conditions at play in Pune, they could be toying with the thought of an extra spinner even though all three of their pacers played crucial parts in that win in Bengaluru. Who sits out if they are to add a spinner to the eleven will be the big question on their minds.

Probable XI: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Will O'Rourke, Ajaz Patel

When: Thursday, October 24 at 09:30 AM IST

Where: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune

What to expect? There has been intermittent rain in the lead-up to the Test at Pune but also hot afternoons. The pitch looked dry and there had been some work going on to remove the grass on it two days ahead of the Test. Expect the spinners to come into play more than in the first game.

Did you know?

-Yashasvi Jaiswal is four sixes away from equalling the most sixes in a calendar year in Tests while Rohit Sharma is two sixes away from equalling the all-time India record for most sixes in Test cricket

- Kohli's career best of 254* came at this very venue, against South Africa in 2019.

- Of the three WTC cycles, this is the only one in which every team has won an away Test and every team has lost a home Test.

In the spotlight - Shubman Gill and Glenn Phillips

Shubman Gill has found a new level as a Test batter since his move to No. 3 last year, averaging 43.23 across 11 matches and scoring three hundreds. He got through a regular workload in the nets in the lead-up to the second Test, suggesting he will return to India's line-up after missing the Bengaluru Test with a stiff neck. With Gill back at No. 3, India's batting order will wear a far more settled look, with the names below his back in their natural habitats.

Since his return to New Zealand's Test side in December 2023, Glenn Phillips has taken 23 wickets in nine Tests at an average of 26.47. Of all spinners with at least 15 wickets in this time, only Keshav Maharaj, Nathan Lyon and India's big three have better averages. It's quite a record for an offspinner who was until recently considered a part-timer. Phillips bowled 15 second-innings overs in Bengaluru and picked up the wicket of Virat Kohli. He may have to get through a bigger workload on a more helpful pitch in Pune, even if New Zealand bolster their spin attack, and could have quite an influence on the game if he can chip in with a big wicket or two. His ability to score quickly down the order could be handy too, handier still if it's a low-scoring Test.

Pitch and conditions

After losing in entirely un-Indian conditions at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, India have gone to great lengths to prepare a track that theoretically minimises the damage New Zealand's quicks can cause. A slow, low turner is in the offing, and spinners can expect increasing help as the Test match progresses with sunny weather expected on all five days in Pune.

Stats and trivia

• After losing just two home Tests in the ten years from 2013 to 2022, India have lost three in the next two years.
• KL Rahul is 19 runs away from the 3000 mark in Test cricket. Of all batters to have scored at least 3000 runs since his debut, only Mominul Haque and Kraigg Brathwaite have lower averages than Rahul's current figure of 33.87.
• Before 2023, Matt Henry had 53 wickets in 17 Tests at an average of 40.24. Since the start of 2023, he has transformed his Test career, taking 50 wickets in just nine Tests at 21.26.

Quotes

"No, we are not even thinking of giving anyone game time. All we are concentrating on are these two Test matches [against New Zealand]. And these two Test matches are very, very important to us. As important as any other Test match, be it in India or in Australia."

India head coach Gautam Gambhir when asked if India would pick Akash Deep in order to give him game time ahead of the Australia tour

"It's important that we take the focus, the confidence from that [Bengaluru] game, and bring it into this game, but realise that we both start on zero, both teams start on zero tomorrow."

New Zealand captain Tom Latham

Head to head - Last 5 Matches

New Zealand won by 8 wickets, 16-Oct-2024

India won by 372 runs, 03-Dec-2021

Match drawn, 25-Nov-2021

New Zealand won by 8 wickets, 18-Jun-2021

New Zealand won by 7 wickets, 29-Feb-2020

Batters to watch(Recent stats)

Yashasvi Jaiswal, IND

10 M • 999 Runs • 55.5 Avg • 75.56 SR

Shubman Gill, IND

9 M • 690 Runs • 46 Avg • 62.44 SR

Kane Williamson, NZ

9 M • 972 Runs • 60.75 Avg • 54.66 SR

Rachin Ravindra, NZ

7 M • 772 Runs • 59.38 Avg • 60.54 SR

Bowlers to watch(Recent stats)

Jasprit Bumrah, IND

9 M • 45 Wkts • 3.01 Econ • 30.44 SR

Ravichandran Ashwin, IND

9 M • 39 Wkts • 3.88 Econ • 39.61 SR

Matt Henry, NZ

6 M • 35 Wkts • 2.72 Econ • 38.42 SR

William O’Rourke, NZ

5 M • 26 Wkts • 3.21 Econ • 35.26 SR