Zee Media Bureau/Chaitan Papnai
Indian team is scheduled to play their first Test of New Zealand tour on Thursday in Auckland at Eden Park. It`s a two-match Test series between two nations who are quite contract in their rankings. If, the Black Caps are ranked eighth in the ICC Test rankings, then the visitors are holding the number two spot.
But all these factors doesn`t matter much, once the match starts. And after thrashing one of the top ranked teams, India, 4-0 in the five-match ODI series, the Kiwi have made this fact quite clear.
The home side has the momentum with them which might help it in the Test series as well. On the other hand, India haven`t performed well in Test matches for quite some time, especially while playing overseas. Though MS Dhoni & Co, performed decently in their last tour to South Africa, while facing one of the most fearsome bowling attacks in contemporary cricket. But failed to draw the series against the top ranked Test team and lost it 1-0.
In fact, New Zealand legend Richard Hadlee also believes that the Black Caps have a upper hand in the two-match Test series against India. “Let`s face it, they are a very, very good side, but at the moment we might go in a little bit as favourites because we`ve got a roll on at the moment," Hadleee told to Radio Sport.
How to deal with the short pitch stuff is still a big issue for Indian batsmen. Poor form of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, in the recent past, in all the formats of the game is also somewhere hurting India badly.
Now it would be interesting to see whether NZ keep their domination intact or India will bounce back and justify their rankings.
