The Champions of the first ever ICC World Test Championship begin their title defence campaign against the Runner-up side, India. New Zealand will be starting off their campaign in the 2nd World Test Championship by playing a 2-match Test series against India starting from the 25th of November, 2021.
India and New Zealand have faced each other 61 times in Tests, out of which India won 21, New Zealand won 13 while 26 were drawn. A solitary game was abandoned as well.
Both these sides have faced each other 34 times in India, out of which India won 16 and lost just 2 with the remaining 16 ending up in a draw.
Previous Results
The last time both these teams faced each other was in the final of ICC World Test Championship, where New Zealand came out victorious.
The last time both these sides faced each other in India, New Zealand were whitewashed by 3-0. New Zealand last played a Test series in India in late 2016.
New Zealand haven't won a single game in India since 1988/89 and are yet to win a Test series in India.
India have lost just one Test series since start of 2005 at home, they have been a force to stop at home and it's almost impossible to stop India at home in Tests.
Prologue
There's no doubt that even without the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, team India will start the series as hot favorites. India are currently at the top of the points table in World Test Championship 2021-23 cycle and they would like to win both the Tests and thereby add 24 more points to their World Test Championship tally and it would really be a surprise if they fail to do so.
New Zealand, the current World Test Champions have a lot at stake apart from 24 World Test Championship points. Many pundits of the game labelled New Zealand's victory in the World Test Championship a fluke due to the points system being tweaked midway due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the final being a one-off affair in home like conditions for New Zealand. A win here in this Test series would approve New Zealand's Test Champion status amidst cricketing fraternity and in case they face a whitewash, it would only fuel the debate. Though it seems to be a bridge too far despite India fielding almost a second fiddle side, New Zealand would believe upon themselves to surprise everyone just the way they did when they became the Champions of inaugural World Test Championship when no one expected them to do it at the start of the cycle.
Players to watch out for
1) R Ashwin
Whenever a Test series starts in India, R Ashwin automatically becomes the player to watch out for. He is the biggest threat for any opposition touring India for a Test series.
R Ashwin has played 5 games against New Zealand at home.
Runs scored - 140
Average - 35
Hs - 40
Wickets - 45
Average - 15.91
Best bowling in an inning - 7/59
Five wicket hauls - 6
Best match figures - 13/140
R Ashwin has already won 8 Man of the Series award in Tests which is the most by an Indian and the 3rd most in the world, with his current form Ashwin may get his 9th Man of the Series. RAVI ASHWIN is undoubtedly India's biggest match winner in Tests at home.
In the last home Test series against New Zealand, Ashwin got Kane Williamson's wicket 4 times.
2) R Jadeja
Whenever a Test match has been played in India since 2015, we have seen the R & R combination (Ravi Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin) destroying the opposition and there doesn't seem to be any difference this time around.
Ravindra Jadeja has been the most improved player for India in the last 2-3 years, his batting has gone from being average to a beast mode and he has scored runs with bat all over the globe especially in the longest format of the game.
R Jadeja has played 3 games vs New Zealand at home, all of which came during the 3-match series in 2016.
Runs scored - 129
Average - 64.50
Hs - 50*
50's - 1
Wickets - 14
Average - 24.07
Best bowling in an inning - 5/73
Five wicket hauls - 1
Best match figures - 6/131
R Jadeja is the most consistent with his line and lengths and that is his strength. To add to it, his extra pace as a spinner just strengthens his cause even more.
3) K Williamson
Amidst Fab 4, Kane has the lowest Test average in India (35). Kohli and Smith average in the 60's while Root in 50's.
Kane Williamson was the villain for India in the final of ICC World Test Championship, his scores of 49 in the first inning and a match winning 52* will forever haunt the Indian team and their fans.
Kane is one of the best players of spin and he would like to make an impact in India this time around.
4) M Santner
A spinning all-rounder always has a huge role to play on the subcontinent pitches. M Santner showed a great display of bowling in the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup and the T20I series against India.
He will be New Zealand's biggest key if they want to turn the tables around and make history by defeating India on their own backyard.
Team News
India will be going in the series without their few star players namely Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant which may give new players a chance to showcase their talent. Ajinkya Rahane will be the stand-in captain for the first Test in the absence of permanent skipper Virat Kohli. India is yet to lose a test in the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane.
With no Rohit Sharma in the team and KL Rahul being ruled out of the series due to injury, Mayank Agarwal will open the innings with Shubman Gill. With Hanuma Vihari being sent to prepare for the upcoming South Africa tour by playing games for India A, either of Shreyas Iyer or Suryakumar Yadav will get his Test debut with the former being the more likely pick.
New Zealand will miss the service of their main pacer Trent Boult, who's not in squad due to bubble fatigue.
New Zealand don't have any quality spinner other than M Santner and due to the same reason their bowling looks a little bit weak. Ajaz Patel should give company to M Santner in the spin department. Rachin Ravindra too might be in the scheme of things.
Ross Taylor will be back in action for Men in Black. He is the best player of spin in this team and this may very well be his last Test series in India, which he would like to end with a trophy in his hand.
Most wickets head-to-head in Tests (amidst current players)
R Ashwin - 52
T Southee - 44
T Boult - 41
I Sharma - 38
Most runs head-to-head in Tests (amidst current players)
Ross Taylor - 870
Virat Kohli - 830
Kane Williamson - 829
If India beat New Zealand by 2-0 in this Test Series, India will become the No.1 Test Team in the World in the ICC Test Rankings.
New Zealand either need to win or draw atleast one game in order to uphold their No.1 rank in ICC Test Rankings.
When, Where and How to Watch
The match will start at 9:30 am (IST) on the 25th of November at the Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. The live telecast of this game would be available on the Star Sports Network. The online live streaming would be available on the Disney plus Hotstar app.
India’s Squad: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara (vc), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Md. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Virat Kohli will be available only for the 2nd Test of the series to be played in the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai slated to start on the 3rd of December, 2021.
New Zealand's Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham (vc/wk), Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Will Somerville, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Will Young, Neil Wagner
India's Predicted Playing 11
M Agarwal, S Gill, C Pujara (VC), A Rahane (C), S Iyer, W Saha (WK), R Jadeja, R Ashwin, A Patel, I Sharma, M Siraj
New Zealand's Predicted Playing 11
T Latham (VC), D Mitchell, K Williamson (C), R Taylor, H Nicholls, T Blundell (WK), K Jamieson, M Santner, T Southee, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel
Dream 11 Fantasy Team
T Blundell (WK)
S Gill
M Agarwal
R Taylor
K Williamson
R Ashwin (C)
R Jadeja (VC)
A Patel
U Yadav
M Santner
Ajaz Patel
