A 2-0 Test series victory against New Zealand would earnIndia two rating points but that won''t change their position in the ICC TestRanking table. India has been dominant in series contested between these twosides. Of the 50 test matches contested,the Indians have won 16 and New Zealand 9. Twenty five of these contests haveended in a draw. Experts have in the run up to the series questioned thevisitor’s ability to take 20 wickets in a test. In addition the absence of world-class players will hamper theirchances.
New Zealand were beaten 0-2 in the Tests against West Indiesbefore this tour, and they will be without Daniel Vettori, their lead spinner,due to injury. They have five seamers in the squad and two spinners, TarunNethula and Jeetan Patel. The team management is expected to go with afour-pronged pace attack - Chris Martin, Tim Southee, Trent Boult and DougBracewell.
With the Indians playing spin very well the visitors spinattack is not expected to pose many problems.
New Zealand's lean run in recent times is also due to thepoor form of senior players, like Vettori and McCullum.
Vettori picked up just four wickets in hisprevious four Tests, while McCullum got starts in five of his last eightinnings, but went past 50 only twice.
McCullum, Vettori and Taylor are among the New Zealandplayers with IPL contracts and there could be uncertainty over theiravailability for part of the tour of England next year as it clashes with theleague.
The series however will not be a cakewalk for the Indians.For a player like Cheteshwar Pujara, this could be termed a second debut. After making a match-winning debut inBangalore against Australia in 2010, he played just two further Tests before aknee injury in IPL 2011 sidelined him for six months.
Recovering from thesurgery, he missed out on the home series against West Indies late last year,but was eager to get a ticket for the Australia tour. Strong performances onthe recent India A tour of the West Indies put him back in the reckoning. NewZealand are currently ranked No 8 in both tests and ODIs.
