If they think the pitch will start to take turn very early in the game and progressively become more and more hard to bat on, Kohli will nearly definitely want that extra batsman.
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“For me, part of the Indian team was special and a great honour”.
On a spinning track that will help the home team.
The hosts, on the other hand, are a formidable team and have an impeccable record of 9 wins in the last ten Tests played at home.
India’s 500th Test beginning at the Green Park ground against New Zealand on Thursday will also be the first of their long home season.
Of New Zealand’s batting group, world third-ranked Williamson (average 38.15 against India with two centuries) and Ross Taylor (41.18 with three) are the best equipped to handle the challenge. “It’s a good total to play around with”.
New Zealand have brought in reserve wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi as a specialist batsman in place of Henry Nicholls – an intriguing decision considering Nicholls had made 36 and 76 in New Zealand’s most recent test in South Africa.
Even history is heavily stacked against the visitors, who have not won a Test on the Indian soil in their last 14 attempts.
Pujara was in sublime touch, his footwork a treat and New Zealand’s three-pronged spin attack quickly discovered anything over-pitched would be despatched down the ground; drop it short and it sped through backward point. “We expect very good competition and good hard-fought cricket”, Kohli said of his opposite number Kane Williamson. They are Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, both as leaders in their respective categories of opening batsman and opening bowler. The hosts will also be bolstered by the return on home soil of medium-pacer Mohammed Shami, who took 11 wickets in the West Indies after a long lay-off. The Indian opener scored 32 off 39 balls.
Virat has to choose from Vijay, Rahul, and Dhawan and it will be interesting to see, who will get the chance to roll the risk against the red cherry. The pitch was flat, there was hardly any bounce and expectedly, KL Rahul and Murali Vijay looked untroubled facing the new ball. “If you want to be a champion side, you don’t want to give the opposition any window to get into the game.” he said, adding that his batsmen were working on this.
Although New Zealand has suffered a blow as their most experienced fast bowlers, Tim Southee has been ruled out of the whole test series.
Indian coach Anil Kumble believes the different variations of spin would work in New Zealand’s favour.
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Mitchell Santner (3-77) led the way, while Trent Boult (3-52) claimed three wickets in a magnificent spell with the second new ball in the evening session on what proved to be a fruitful day for the tourists after a tough start.
