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India vs New Zealand 2016: India vs New Zealand - Player vs Player stats

Who will come out on top?

India take on New Zealand in the first Test of the three-match series in Kanpur Thursday, hoping to maintain their history of never losing a home Test series to the Kiwis. The visitors have not beaten India in an away Test match for almost three decades and that will be something that they will be hoping to correct as they take on the hosts in the first Test.

Also read: India vs New Zealand 2016, 1st Test Preview: Live Streaming info, probable playing XI and match details

While India undeniably hold the upper hand in terms of form and history in the longest format of the game, the 55th Test match between the two sides will certainly be interesting as it will see two young teams with big futures ahead of them, taking each other on.

Also read: India vs New Zealand 2016: Predictions and tour schedule

New Zealand may not have won a Test series in India and it will be interesting to see how they go about toppling an in-form side in their own backyard.

In this article, we statistically compare the expected playing XIs of both sides and attempt to judge which team will start the contest as favourites. The winner between each duo has been judged only by T20 career stats and not talent, form or anything else.

IndiaNew ZealandWho’s better?

Murali Vijay

Runs – 2,637, Avg – 40.56, 100s/50s – 6/12

Martin Guptill

Runs – 2,427, Avg – 29.59, 100s/50s – 3/16

India

KL Rahul

Runs – 492, Avg – 37.84, 100s/50s – 3/1

Tom Latham

Runs – 1,554, Avg – 38.85, 100s/50s – 5/7

Sample too small to judge

Cheteshwar Pujara

Runs – 2,482, Avg – 46.83, 100s/50s – 7/7

Ross Taylor

Runs – 5,599, Avg – 47.85, 100s/50s – 15/25

New Zealand

Virat Kohli

Runs – 3,245, Avg – 45.06, 100s/50s – 12/12

Kane Williamson

Runs – 4,393, Avg – 51.08, 100s/50s – 14/22

New Zealand

Ajinkya Rahane

Runs – 1,862, Avg – 49.00, 100s/50s – 7/8

Henry Nicholls

Runs – 221, Avg – 27.62, 100s/50s – 0/2

Sample too small to judge

Wriddhiman Saha

Runs – 572, Avg – 27.23, 100s/50s – 1/2

BJ Watling

Runs – 2,322, Avg – 39.35, 100s/50s – 6/12

New Zealand

Ravichandran Ashwin

Runs – 1,439, Avg – 34.26, 100s/50s – 4/6

Wickets – 193, Avg – 25.20, SR – 51.8

Mark Craig

Runs – 586, Avg – 41.85, 100s/50s – 0/3

Wickets – 48, Avg – 45.56, SR – 70.5

India

Ravindra Jadeja

Runs – 495, Avg – 20.62, 100s/50s – 0/1

Wickets – 71, Avg – 23.42, SR – 62.6

Mitchell Santner

Runs – 146, Avg – 20.85, 100s/50s – 0/0

Wickets – 15, Avg – 29.2, SR – 68.4

Sample too small to judge

Amit Mishra

Wickets – 71, Avg – 34.36, SR – 65.4

Ish Sodhi

Wickets – 35, Avg – 46.42, SR – 74.7

India

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Wickets – 35, Avg – 30.68, SR – 61.8

Trent Boult

Wickets – 158, Avg – 29.32, SR – 59.3

New Zealand

Mohammad Shami

Wickets – 58, Avg – 34.18, SR – 55.8

Neil Wagner

Wickets – 94, Avg – 29.12, SR – 53.7

New Zealand

India 3 – 5 New Zealand

NOTE: The lineups mentioned above are predicted teams and might not actually be the XIs that take to the field on Thursday.

Summary

While the conditions will certainly favor the hosts, both sides have packed their side with spinners and somewhat surprising, despite having a strong batting line-up, it is the visitors and India who have more experience in their ranks.

The loss of Ishant Sharma is a big blow to the hosts as Neil Wagner and Trent Boult, hold the advantage by virtue of not just more matches but also better numbers. In the spin department, India, unsurprisingly, hold the upper hand while it is only Mitchell Santner’s lack of experience that rules out an Indian spin-trio.

So the bowling is evenly split at 2-2, the visitors take the batting department owing to their experience and better numbers.

As far as the opening is concerned, it is India who hold the slight advantage as Murali Vijay’s numbers are much better and KL Rahul’s inexperience means that the Kiwis don’t have a chance to get back despite having a better second opener purely based on numbers.

In the battle between the No.3 and No.4, New Zealand come out on top in both with Kane Williamson easily beating Kohli and Ross Taylor taking the place over Cheteshwar Pujara. Henry Nicholls inexeperience means India don’t have a chance to bounce and the keeper’s slot goes to the Kiwis.

On paper, both sides have strong batting orders but the battle between New Zealand’s experienced middle-order against India's spinners should be interesting. On paper, at least, it is the visitors who hold the upper hand.

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