After being bombarded with an overdose of T20 cricket in the last few months, it’s time for the longest and riveting format of the game. After whitewashing the T20 series, the hosts will be looking to continue their dominance in the Test series. New Zealand hasn’t won a single game in India since 1988/89 and are yet to win a Test series in India. Team India will be looking to keep the record intact, who hasn’t lost a series at home since 2012.
Team India start as hot favorites
India will be without their main guns, who has been rested in this series, but still, they’ll start as hot favorites. The likes Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami have been rested for this test series. With KL Rahul missing out, Shubhman Gill is likely to open to Mayank Agarwal in the first test. Gill was expected to bat in the middle order but now in the absence of Rahul, he will take his usual place at the top of the batting lineup. Also, Shreyas Iyer is most likely to make his debut on Thursday in the first test to fill in the middle-order spot.
For New Zealand, Kane Williamson is back to lead the team after taking a break from the T20 series. Ross Taylor is back in the side, and most probably this will be his last test series in India, so he’ll look to finish it on a high note. Blackcaps will miss the services of Trent Boult (rested) and Devon Conway(injured) in this test series. Mitchell Santner is the key in the bowling department along with Ajaz Patel. In the absence of Trent Boult, both Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson will feature here in the first test.
Ajinkya Rahane will be leading the home team in the opening Test match. While Virat Kohli will return to lead the side in the 2nd test. The test series against the Kiwis is part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 cycle. This series will be the Blackcaps’ first of the 2021-23 cycle. While India started off on a high note leading by 2-1 against England. India are currently at the top of the points table in World Test Championship 2021-23 cycle.
India vs New Zealand Match Details
Match: India vs New Zealand, 1st Test
Date: 25th November 2021
Time: 09:30 AM IST
Venue: Green Park, Kanpur
Live Streaming: Star Sports Network
Pitch Report
The pitch in Kanpur is the typical Indian pitch, where the spinners will get a lot of assistance as the match progresses, and very little help for the pacers. India has been unbeaten on this ground for 38 years. The last time India lost at this venue was in 1983 against West Indies. However, the first two days will be batting friendly and due to the moisture, there could be helpful for the fast bowlers in the 1st session. So, the captain winning the toss should choose to bat first as batting in the fourth innings is never easy in Indian conditions.
Head to Head
India- 21
New Zealand- 13
Draw- 26
Predicted Playing 11
India
M Agarwal, S Gill, C Pujara (VC), A Rahane (C), S Iyer, W Saha (WK), R Jadeja, R Ashwin, A Patel, I Sharma/Umesh Yadav, M Siraj
New Zealand
T Latham (VC), Will Young, K Williamson (C), R Taylor, H Nicholls, T Blundell (WK), K Jamieson, M Santner, T Southee/Kyle Jamieson, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel
Key Players
India: Cheteshwar Pujara, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel
New Zealand: Kane Williamson, Mitchell Santner, Henry Nicholls, Tom Latham