The world’s richest cricket board has always been accused of ignoring the game’s longest format, a wrong they chose to right in June by scheduling a whopping 13 tests in the 2016-17 calendar.
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Almost two years ago in Sharjah, Craig and Sodhi joined Daniel Vettori in his farewell test as the Black Caps cantered to a series-levelling victory over Pakistan by an innings and 80 runs.
After the series against New Zealand, India have a long Test season at home with England playing five Tests at the end of the year besides a solitary match against Bangladesh followed by another four against Australia in the new year.
Shikhar Dhawan has been Vijay’s opening partner in Tests for some time now, but the Delhi batsman might lose his place to the in-form KL Rahul. The number of runs he has made in the Duleep Trophy (453 runs in 3 innings at an average of 226.5) has made his inclusion a certainty. India achieved their first-ever overseas Test series win in New Zealand under him in 1967-68. “The first Test will be crucial”. So, when it comes to the choice between Pujara and Rohit – and the problem is if Rohit is picked in a five-bowler playing XI, Kohli will have to bat at No.3, something he does not seem too keen to do at the moment – the former will probably get the nod for the first Test match. Since his comeback, Bhuvneshwar has looked leaner and hungrier – his ability to swing the ball with pace now makes him an extremely useful bowler. His willingness to bend his back and bowl fast has paid rich dividends.
It did exactly so when they hosted South Africa in their last home series, a four-Test rubber, last year. Like New Zealand’s, it covers the bases of left-arm orthodox, right-arm orthodox and legspin and if there’s turn and variable bounce it provides the best chance of taking 20 wickets. We all know in India that wickets are helpful for the spinners. “Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he has been the most important, all of them have retired one by one”, he added, buttressing his point.
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A spinner-friendly track, as is being expected mostly, might well see the Indian management field all three spinners in the squad. Played under the pall of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes’ death, players were misty eyed, distracted and carefree about a mere game, so it may not be the definitive form guide. To mark the occasion, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) has chose to honour some former Indian captains during the game.
