It is often said that cricket is a team game. But most often, it is the battle between a batsman and a bowler. And the upcoming NZ’s tour of India is not expected to be much different. It will be interesting to see who all have the skill, grittiness and temperament to withstand the spinners, who can turn the bowl square, under the blazing hot sky. Batting in India would not be a walk in the park, especially for a team that hasn’t had much experience in rank turners.
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However, even with their limited resources, the Kiwis have done exceptionally well the last time they faced India in India in an international match. The Kiwis are stronger than ever and will be determined to make a mark in this series and become an epitome to other non-Asian teams touring the sub-continent. They have good batsmen, quality spinners, workhorse seamers, a brilliant wicket-keeper batsman and an excellent captain.
But the question is, who all can perform up to their mark when it matters the most. Who all can tackle their major threats, in a condition unfamiliar to them?
Here are 5 key battles to watch out for in the upcoming New Zealand tour of India.
#5 Mitchell Santner vs Ajinkya Rahane
The bowler in form up against the batsman in form. Mitchell Santner has proved himself in India as a quality bowler when he became the leading wicket-taker of the 2016 ICC World T20 main stage. On the other hand, Ajinkya Rahane scored a couple of brilliant centuries in his last Test in India, in a series where no one else could rack up even a single century to their name.
Rahane is a tough batsman to get out. Once he gets set, he rarely makes a mistake. So the Kiwis would be planning to get him out cheaply in the early part of his innings, where he looked fragile throughout in all the previous home series’. And who else can do it better than Santner? The Kiwi slip cordon, which is one of the best in the world at the moment, will ensure that Rahane wouldn’t get much room for error.
So the battle between two talented youngsters is on the cards and will hopefully result in a healthy and quality display of cricket
#4 Ravichandran Ashwin vs Ross Taylor
Apart from his only century in Bangalore back in 2012, Rosco doesn’t have many good memories in his Test career in India. He has faced Ashwin only twice in his Test career, back in 2012 in Hyderabad and Bangalore. In the Hyderabad Test, he was dismissed twice by Ashwin for scores of 2 and 7. Throughout those innings’, Taylor struggled against the Tamil Nadu off-spinner, who was new to the Test arena at that period.
Things have changed pretty much after that incident. Ross is now one of the best middle order batsmen in the world, whereas Ashwin is on a dream run with both bat and ball. Ashwin is ranked as the number 1 Test all-rounder and number 3 Test bowler whereas Ross is ranked number 14 in ICC Test batting rankings.
Ashwin, with favourable conditions and accurate bowling, definitely has an upper edge over Ross. However, on his day, Ross has the potential to withstand any attack in any condition, which is already proved in numerous instances.
Can Ross withstand the brilliance of Ravi Ashwin? This definitely looks like an interesting battle to watch out for.
#3 Ish Sodhi vs Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli has faced Ish Sodhi twice in international cricket so far. The first Test in New Zealand back in 2014 was the first such instance. Kohli totally dominated Sodhi and even smashed him for three boundaries in an over at that time.
Two years later, they faced off yet again, this time in India, in the opening game of the main round of the ICC World T20. Virat was carefully building up Indian innings from a disastrous top order collapse, chasing a mere total of 126. Just when he was batting with much intent and concentration, the Kiwi leggie decided to spoil the day for Virat and Indian fans. A beautiful leg break kissed the edge of the bat and was caught by the keeper Luke Ronchi.
That triggered another collapse as New Zealand went on to win the game, dismissing India for just 79.
Virat was extremely disappointed and will be looking forward to this series to pay the Kiwis back. Sodhi, on the other hand, had an ordinary Test series in Zimbabwe and was eventually dropped for the South African series. However, he will be back to bowl in favourable conditions later this month and Kohli will be definitely looking forward to this battle.
#2 Ravindra Jadeja vs Kane Williamson
Michael Clarke, the previous Australian skipper, was an excellent player of spin bowling. His footwork and wrist movement against spin bowling is a joy to watch. Last time Australia visited India for a 4 match Test series, fans expected Clarke to bat well in Indian conditions. He played 3 Tests (i.e. 6 innings) and missed the last Test due to injury. Out of the 6 innings he batted, he fell prey for the Saurashtra left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja 5 times, in almost every fashion of dismissals possible.
Ravindra Jadeja is a “giant-killer” when it comes to Tests in India. His accurate darts and occasional spin keep the batsmen guessing. Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson is a giant in world cricket and Jadeja would be more than happy to add him to his list of his victims.
However, the concentration of Kane Williamson makes him a much superior batsman in Indian conditions. Perfect awareness about the off stump line and excellent technique against playing spin bowling will definitely make him a harder wicket to take. Jadeja will also be wary of the fact that Kane has scored his first test century in India on his debut Test. Jadeja might have to work hard if he wants to succeed against the elegant right-hander.
#1 Virat Kohli vs Kane Williamson – The battle of the skippers
Last time India played New Zealand in a Test match, MS Dhoni and Brendon McCullum led the respective teams. Both of them are no longer playing Test cricket, and their successors have taken their position as Test skippers. Virat Kohli against Kane Williamson is definitely going to be a brilliant battle as both of them have proved to be successful with their own style of captaincy.
There is a striking resemblance between the team structures of both the teams. 2 openers, followed by 3 specialist batsmen, followed by a wicket keeper batsman, 2 spin bowling all-rounders, one specialist spinner and 2 seamers.
The spin bowling options available to both the captains are also the same – one leg spinner (Sodhi and Mishra), one right arm off spinner (Craig and Ashwin), and one slow left arm bowler (Santner and Jadeja). And the quality pace battery available to both the skippers will increase the quality of the competition. Hence, it is safe to say that the fate of this series will depend on how well these youngsters uses their resources.
Thus the true battle we are going to witness will be between the two young skippers who are determined to prove themselves. Kohli, after becoming the full-time Test skipper is yet to concede a Test series whereas Williamson has a 2-0 win in Zimbabwe and 0-1 loss in South Africa under his bag.
Will Kohli further stretch his streak or will Williamson earn New Zealand’s first ever Test series victory on Indian soil? Only time will tell!
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