New Zealand Tour of India

IND vs NZ, 2nd Test, Mumbai

Preview

After showing a lot of grit and determination in the last match, New Zealand players were able to save the test match at Kanpur. Thus, the winner of the match will win the series and with that India will have the chance to reclaim the mace and New Zealand will cement their place at the top of the test table.

Captain Virat Kohli is all set to make his return to the game after missing out the T20I series and the first test. With him coming back means any one of the middle order batsmen will get dropped but who exactly? Shreyas Iyer scored a brilliant hundred in the first innings of the last match and fifty in the second innings. So, by the looks of it, Mayank Agarwal will be dropped, Bharat or Saha will open the innings with Shubman and Virat will reclaim his second own spot. When it comes to bowling, Siraj might get a chance and replace Ishant Sharma in the team.

This is a very crucial game for Ajinkya Rahane’s point of view. The Mumbaikar will be playing his first test in his hometown and if his form indicates something, then the vice captain might soon lose his place in the starting XI. Same could have been said for Cheteshwar Pujara but Virat Kohli has no other man in his team who can blunt the Kookabura ball when India travels to South Africa after the Mumbai test. There will be pressure on team India to win the match and take revenge for their loss against the Kiwis in the finals of the World Test Series. Virat will also eye for his first century in two years but most importantly a win. The Indian team needs it because that will help them gain some confidence before the crucial Proteas series.

New Zealand might field the same XI in the next match and Kane Williamson’s form will be important. Ross Taylor didn’t get run as well. Thus, senior players need to step up and show their supremacy. Southee and Jamieson were fantastic with the bowl in hand and they need to keep doing the same. Spinner’s need to step up their game though. In the first test at Kanpur, they were poor and when you are a spinner playing in the subcontinent pitches, you can’t afford to be poor. If they make a strong comeback, India can be on the backfoot as well.

Match Details

Match: IND vs NZ, 1st Test Match

Date: Friday to Tuesday, December 03-07, 2021

Time: 9:30 AM

Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Pitch Report

There was a lot of grass till Monday evening but there’s nothing at the moment. Batting first will be fine as the wicket will get slower with time. Spin will once again play a huge role. 400 plus in the first innings will be key.

IND vs NZ Probable XIs

IND: Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal/KS Bharat, Cheteshwar Pujara/Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli (c), Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja/Jayant Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj

NZ: Tom Latham, Will Young, Kane Williamson(c)/Daryl Mitchell, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell (wk), Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Will Somerville, Ajaz Patel.

Match Prediction

New Zealand impressed everyone in the last match at Kanpur. At one point they even had the chance of winning but in Mumbai things might be difficult. Virat Kohli is making a comeback and expect him to lead India to another series win.

Suggested Playing XI Real11 Fantasy Cricket