Agencies
Kanpur, Sept 21: A landmark Test to mark a landmark season – that is how the upcoming home action of cricket can be defined. India begin their home campaign of 13 Tests with the opening match against the Kiwis in the 2016/17 season playing the landmark 500th Test in their history. No doubt, they start favourites on a pitch at the Green Park which looks dry and has full of cracks when the tie starts Thursday.
India, to the touring sides, have become the toughest challenge since 2013. Australia were whitewashed that year and last season only the weather prevented South Africa to escape the same fate with a drawn game. No doubt, the Kiwis under Kane Williamson, are apprehensive about the upcoming series.
They have every reason to be. India with two and at times three spinners, have simply looked unbeatable at home. Both Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja seem to have measure of all the opposition playing in Indian conditions. Jadeja chokes the batters with relentless accuracy and variations of pace while Ashwin literally slits their throats (no pun intended) with sharp tweaks on the ball making it spin both ways. They have a wicket every eight overs to show for their efforts. And when they can’t, there is Amit Mishra who is always a handful on turning pitches.
There is no doubt, India would be going into the game with three spinners… it is their main strength. History also is against New Zealand as far as playing in India is concerned because the last of their Test victory in India came way back in 1988 and it will take some extraordinary doing for them to stop the rot.
No mistaking their talent though. The Kiwis have three spinners in Michael Santner, Ish Sodhi and Mark Craig – all capable in their art. However, the thing that may work against them, don’t be surprised, are the spinning pitches. It is one matter to grow up and practice your art on not ‘spin-friendly’ pitches; it is completely a different ball game when you bowl on pitches which offer spin and bounce. The New Zealand spinners’ inexperience of not playing much on spinning tracks may go against them.
As far as team selection is concerned, the only headache for the Indians is the opening slot where there are three contenders in Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay and KL Rahul. The last named had an outstanding tour of West Indies and he is likely to continue in the middle in place of Dhawan. Among others Cheteshwar Pujara will definitely be back in place of the out of form Rohit Sharma.
But cricket apart, there are a lot of important issues to consider also when the Test gets underway. This is the first time, India will be playing 13 consecutive Tests on home soil And victories in eight of them will again help India displace Pakistan at the top of the rankings. That is what they are gunning for, no doubt about that.
Kohli unperturbed by India’s spin problems
India’s recent woes against spin bowling are not a worry to the side even though skipper Virat Kohli acknowledged here Wednesday, that his side still need to continue work on this aspect of the game. He also said that if India are to become a champion side, they cannot afford to leave any window for the opposition to exploit.
“I think it (tackling spin bowling) is not a concern,” Kohli told reporters here categorically. “But then it is an area where we can improve as there is always scope for further development.”
Talking about India’s loss to Sri Lanka at Galle last year when Rangana Herath claimed seven wickets, Kohli asserted that it was not because of the lack of technique, but because batters failed to execute the plans properly.
“Yes it was a mistake, but we have rectified that. Even now we are working on that aspect of the game. We focused on pace in our away tours, so we didn’t pay that much attention on spin. But now we have put in greater efforts and the results will be there for everyone to see,” asserted the Indian skipper.
Kohli also showed a lot of respect to the New Zealand side.
“We expect a very good competition because they are a side that do not give up. They have pretty skillful players in their ranks, we are wary of that but we are aware of our strengths as well,” stated Kohli.
Meanwhile Kiwi captain Kane Williamson told reporters that he is expecting his spinners to match the feats of their Indian counterparts. “Definitely, I am backing them to succeed against Indian batsmen,” said Williamson. “I am sure they will learn as the series progresses and will also be able to stand up at the crunch.”
Down memory lane
India played their first Test match at Lord’s (June 25-29, 1932). Since then in the last 84 years, the Indian Test cricket team have seen many downs and ups. Downs because, India for the first 50 years of their Test cricket history were considered one of the weakest teams.
In their first 196 Tests, India could win only 35. Their first home victory came against England in 1952 at the Chepauk Stadium in Madras (now Chennai).
India won their first overseas series against New Zealand in 1967-68 under MAK Pataudi.
More landmark series wins followed when India won their first series in West Indies (1971) and England (1971). Both victories came under the leadership of Ajit Wadekar and saw the emergence of players like Sunil Gavaskar, Gundappa Viswanath and Eknath Solkar.
In the 499 Tests played so far India have won 129, lost 157, drawn 212 and there has been a tied Test against Australia.
The maximum number of victories and losses has come against Australia (Tests played 90, 24 wins, 41 losses ) and England (Tests played 112, 21 wins, 43 losses).
