Published: Sep 22, 2016, 07:30 AM (IST)
Edited: Sep 23, 2016, 09:35 AM (IST)
Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live cricket blog and live cricket updates’ post of the first day’s play between India and New Zealand at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on Thursday. This Test marks the beginning of the massive home season for India, wherein they will be playing as many as 13 Tests at home against teams such as New Zealand, England, Bangladesh and Australia. This big home cricket season, which has been named ‘India Cricket’ will also consist of 8 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 3 T20Is. The live score of the India versus New Zealand first Test, Day One will be available from 09.30 AM IST onwards. The toss for the first Test between India and New Zealand is expected to be around 09.00 AM IST. The live cricket scores and updates of this blog will be a different experience for the readers as the concentration will not only be on providing you all regular updates, but in the most understandable manner possible.
The live cricket score of the India series against New Zealand will be available on this page, as well as the live cricket commentary after the start of the game. New Zealand are coming off a series defeat to South Africa, where as India had defeated West Indies 0-2 in their own home.
The live scores of India vs New Zealand will be keenly followed by all cricket fans as it is the beginning of a massive home season for the Indian cricket team, and the fact that the Virat Kohli-led team is very close to the No. 1 spot in ICC Test Rankings for Teams. New Zealand are placed at the bottom, on the seventh spot and it will be very difficult for them to match the Indian cricket team in their backyard.
India will be aiming to get off to a winning start as a victory in the opening game of their long home cricket season will set the tone for the matches to come. India will be played 5 Tests against England, 1 against Bangladesh and 4 versus Australia till March 2017 in the ‘India Cricket’ season. The live scores of all these Test matches of India will be available here.
PREVIEW – India vs New Zealand, 1st Test at Kanpur: The Indian cricket team would like to begin their big home season which consists of 13 Tests with a win, when they take on New Zealand in the first of their 3-Test series. The first Test between India and New Zealand will be played at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur from September 22 to 26, 2016, whereas the second will be at Eden Gardens, Kolkata from September 30 to October 4. The third and final Test will be at the newest venues for Test cricket, at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. For those uninitiated, the Indian and New Zealand cricket teams will also be playing a 5- ODI series post the 3 Tests.
It will be a litmus test for the young captains of both India and New Zealand, who have been bestowed with the leadership roles for their respective countries not long ago. While Virat Kohli has completed one full year of being the Indian captain in Test cricket, it can be said that his counterpart Kane Williamson is too young into leadership role after taking charge full-time. Under Williamson, New Zealand have had two very contrasting Test series in Africa recently; while they were able to crush a lowly Zimbabwe in a two-match series, the Kiwis struggled on almost all fronts when they travelled to South Africa. The defeat to South Africa by 0-1 (South Africa were on top in the other Test that was rained away) will however, not play a big factor in New Zealand’s series against India because the conditions make the contest completely different.
Of the two teams, India are definitely in better shape and mood ahead of the contest. The players are in form, and those struggling to make their mark have also done the needful. India’s problem to find a dependable batsman at No. 3 following Cheteshwar Pujara’s lack of big runs has been answered by the man himself, who notched up 166 and 256 not out recently in the Duleep Trophy 2016-17 to signal that he is back to being the best that he is known for, i.e., being a ‘home bully’ according to some. IND vs NZ, 1st Test: Kanpur curator mulls preparing sporting wicket
The bowling has certainly been bolstered by the two five-wicket hauls Ravindra Jadeja claimed in the same tournament. Jadeja’s bowling exploits carry greater value since the Duleep Trophy 2016-17 was played with the pink Kookaburra cricket ball, under lights and with rain playing a key role in that part of the tournament in which he played. However, there was no stopping Jadeja (which is not surprising under Indian conditions) who celebrated his return to the home conditions with two five-wicket hauls, which certainly make him a dangerous prospect for India against New Zealand.
India have had a terrific buildup to this Test series. They have won all their last three Test series, against Sri Lanka, South Africa and West Indies. On the other hand, their challengers New Zealand have lost two out of their last three, to strong teams such as South Africa and Australia. The Kiwis have only been able to get the better of Zimbabwe, which in no way is can provide a good assessment of their capabilities. Harbhajan: Kohli, Kumble would like play on good Test pitches
In the last one year, India have not lost a Test, whereas New Zealand are coming off a forgettable tour of South Africa where their batsmen struggled against the hosts’ bowlers. South Africa’s pace and swing were too much to handle for New Zealand. As a result they have been forced to change all game-plans and look for different tutorials since they have arrived in India. It is going to be a challenge between their batsmen and the hosts’ spinners.
Talking about spin, India have bolstered their attack with as many as three options. Ravichandran Ashwin will be the leader of the Indian bowling attack since the team is playing at home and the conditions and wickets are expected to suit the spinners. There is Jadeja, rarely out of form on Indian soil; and Amit Mishra, who deserves some discussion here. Mishra had AB de Villiers looking for some respite the last time he played at home; New Zealand are not going to find any sort of concession from him. Not that they are going to be fillers, but knowing Kohli’s likeness towards express pace, either of Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami or Bhuvneshwar Kumar can partner the spin bowlers. Virat Kohli cuts special cake in honor of India’s 500th Test
India have given a lifeline of sorts to their struggling batsmen Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, but all eyes will actually be on the likes of KL Rahul and Pujara, who have shown tremendous form going into this series. Kohli’s bat has been surprisingly quiet since the double-century which he slammed in the first Test at Antigua, and the Indian captain will be ready to make amends. Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha and even Ashwin (with bat) form the backbone of the Indian resistance, which means, the Kiwis are in for a tough times. One must remember that Jadeja, despite his failure at Test level, has the ability to play long innings; and of late Mishra has shown remarkable prowess with bat.
For New Zealand, it cannot get any more difficult. Tim Southee, their best bowler in the recent times in the Indian subcontinent, has been ruled out of the Test series due to an injury. Martin Guptill, one of their best batsmen, is facing serious questions over his place in the side. Guptill has lacked runs in the longest format of the game and the tour of India is not going to guarantee that, since for non-Asian batsmen it is more about the survival rather than flourishing with the bat.
New Zealand do have Mitchell Santner, the left-arm spinner who stunned the Indian batsmen on Indian soil in ICC T20 World Cup 2016 earlier this year. Along with Santner, the Kiwis have Ish Sodhi, who, just like Santner, had done a terrific job for the Kiwis for a major part of their decently successful run in the last ICC tournament. There is Mark Craig as well, but New Zealand are known for their quality seam bowling and that is what they will be concentrating on, with Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell and Matt Henry (replacement for Southee) in their side. New Zealand have racked up their bowling department with some varied talent, but to find success in the subcontinent will require their bowlers to study what the non-Asian teams did here to succeed.
Squads:
India: Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shikhar Dhawan, Amit Mishra, Umesh Yadav.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), BJ Watling (wk), Luke Ronchi (wk) , Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Mark Craig, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner.
Time: 09:30 IST | 04:00 GMT
(Devarchit Varma is senior writer with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)
