Top 5 learnings for India from the New Zealand Test series
India came into the series as outright favorites, but the Kiwis were no pushovers with their bowling unit, in particular, posing a semblance of threat. However, the hosts dominated the proceedings to prevail over New Zealand in a comprehensive manner.
The 3-0 whitewash also propelled Virat Kohli’s team to the number one spot in the ICC Test rankings.
While their spin bowlers made full use of the conditions to weave webs around the New Zealand batting lineup, the home side’s batsmen also managed to tackle the tricky surfaces to register weighty totals almost every time. With England and Australia set to visit their shores for 5 and 4 Tests respectively in the coming months, the comprehensive series victory against New Zealand presented them with numerous gains which could help continue their momentum for the upcoming contests as well.
Let us go through five of the most significant takeaways for the Indian Test team.
#5 Lower order keeps strengthening their batting depth
Playing on spin-friendly surfaces has helped the Indian bowlers immensely, but they have had to make a trade-off with their batsmen who had got accustomed to carving out ‘daddy hundreds’. As a result, the lower-order was required to bail them out on a regular basis, if the South Africa series at home and the West Indies tour were any indication.
In this series as well, the likes of Wriddhiman Saha, Ravindra Jadeja and to a lesser extent Ravichandran Ashwin (his 40 in the opening Test had helped India cross the 300-mark in the first innings), dented New Zealand’s hopes by converting tantalisingly poised situations in their favour.
With England also containing considerable batting depth, they would want the lower order to keep coming to the party.