India vs New Zealand 2024: India vs New Zealand Match Preview, India vs New Zealand 2024

1st Test • Bengaluru

IND

Today 09:30 AM

Match yet to start

Info

Fantasy

Live

Scorecard

Squad

Date & Time

16 Oct, 09:30 AM IST

Venue

M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

TV/Streaming

Sports 18 Network/ Jio Cinema

Match

1st Test,

India vs New Zealand 2024

Schedule

Stats

Toss

Toss yet to take Place

Pitch Report

Pace BowlingAverage

Batting ConditionAverage

Spin BowlingAverage

1st Innings

358Avg Runs

10Avg Wkts

52.48Avg SR

2nd Innings

306Avg Runs

9Avg Wkts

48.31Avg SR

3rd Innings

208Avg Runs

7Avg Wkts

52.67Avg SR

4th Innings

185Avg Runs

7Avg Wkts

50.2Avg SR

SquadsPlaying XI to be announced

Head To Head (Last 10 Matches)

IND

4- 3

Team Form (Recent 5 Matches, Latest First)

IND

SquadsPlaying XI to be announced

Fantasy Top Picks

Expert Team 1

R Ashwin

R Jadeja

Expert Team 2

R Jadeja

R Ashwin

Player Stats in Series

Players stats in series

Fantasy Stats will be available after the 1st game

Venue Details

M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Pace BowlingAverage

Batting ConditionAverage

Spin BowlingAverage

1st Innings

358Avg Runs

10Avg Wkts

52.48Avg SR

2nd Innings

306Avg Runs

9Avg Wkts

48.31Avg SR

3rd Innings

208Avg Runs

7Avg Wkts

52.67Avg SR

4th Innings

185Avg Runs

7Avg Wkts

50.2Avg SR

Toss winners opt to

92%Bat First Bowl First8%

Team Batting First

65%Wins Losses35%

Recent Matches on venue

2nd Test (D/N) • Mar 12 • Sri Lanka tour of India

IND 252/10 & 303/9 (59.1)

SL 109/10 & 208/10 (35.5 & 59.3)

IND won by 238 runs

vs live score

Only Test • Jun 14 • Afghanistan tour of India

IND 474/10 (104.5)

AFG 109/10 & 103/10 (27.5 & 38.4)

IND won by an inns & 262 runs

2nd Test • Mar 4 • Australia tour of India

IND 189/10 & 274/10 (71.2 & 97.1)

AUS 276/10 & 112/10 (122.4 & 35.4)

IND won by 75 runs

Team Form (Last 5 Matches, Most recent first)

Team Form (Last 5 Matches)

IND

Head To Head (Last 10 Matches)

IND

4- 3

Team Comparison (Last 10 Matches)

Matches Played

Matches Won

183

Average Score

154

477/10

Highest Score

580/4

98/3

Lowest Score

88/10

This match has not started yet, stay tuned for live updates!

After a short T20I burst where they blew Bangladesh out of the water, India's long run with Test cricket resumes on Wednesday as the Blackcaps swing into town. Three Tests at home and it goes without saying that India start as firm favorites.

Except, it's not as straightforward as it seems is it? That's not how Test cricket works even as India have been indomitable on home soil since 2013 having won a record eighteen series on the bounce. New Zealand, despite having last won a Test on Indian soil in 1988, will not be pushovers by any stretch and the hosts will certainly know that they will have to stick to their A-game in order to pocket another series win and further WTC points.

Speaking of the Blackcaps though, they arrive on the back of a series whitewash they had to endure in Sri Lanka. A further setback has come in the form of Kane Williamson's unavailability for this first Test while tearaway quick Ben Sears has also been ruled out of the series with an injury.

There's also a change of guard with Tim Southee relinquishing his post as captain and Tom Latham taking over full-time. Interestingly, Latham captained the Kiwis in the last Test they played in India in 2021 after Williamson was ruled out with an injury. He has plenty of experience as a leader but a tour of India is easily the toughest first assignment he could have asked for as full-time skipper.

Latham himself will be key to the Blackcaps' chances at the top of the order alongside Devon Conway, whose poor run of form in this format witnessed a turnaround of sorts thanks to a rapid fifty in his latest innings in Sri Lanka. Whether Conway, who carries a burgeoning reputation for playing spin well, can build on that or not remains to be seen while Will Young is expected to slot in at 3 for Williamson.

In Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell, the Blackcaps have two extremely reliable batters while Tom Blundell has been silently efficient himself at number 6. Glenn Phillips could prove to be the X-factor though - with both bat and ball given his ability to launch a counter-attack and break partnerships at will. That New Zealand ran Sri Lanka close in the first Test in Galle and almost pulled off a win will certainly give them confidence that they can do something special on this tour.

But of course, to win Test matches, picking up 20 wickets is going to be pivotal. It will be interesting to see if the Kiwis pick a third seamer for this Test with all the rain around in Bengaluru, in which case Matt Henry could pip either Mitchell Santner or Ajaz Patel to the XI. While Ajaz is the superior red ball bowler, Santner's batting ability could just give him the edge in that case. All eyes will certainly be on Will O'Rourke, however, with the pacer turning heads in Sri Lanka with his pace and bounce.

India taking a cavalier approach to bring a dead game against Bangladesh alive in Kanpur was followed by innumerable praise from all corners. Head coach Gautam Gambhir has been vocal about the team wanting to be versatile and not play just one style of cricket, lest it hamper their growth as a unit. When it comes to this team and particularly at home, there are match-winners through and through.

The batting lineup should not see a change and that means Sarfaraz Khan has to wait his turn for another opportunity although there is a cloud over Shubman Gill's availability due to a stiff neck. KL Rahul's rapid fifty in Kanpur ought to hold him in good stead and he will be keen to make a mark on his home ground. Of course, there will be plenty of attention on Virat Kohli since this is, in many ways, his home ground as well. But having endured a mixed run against Bangladesh, a big score is what the superstar batter will be after.

Much like New Zealand, India will have to answer the question of whether they pick a third spinner or a third seamer. Overcast conditions could just prompt them into sticking with their three-seamer ploy considering that the famed combination of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin can spin them to a win in any case should the pitch start to turn. Should they opt for a third spinner though, Kuldeep Yadav could be in line to feature with one of Akash Deep or Mohammed Siraj missing out.

So there we have it. Another engrossing Test series beckons as another team tours with the hope of pulling off what is fairly deemed to be mission impossible - a Test series win on Indian soil. It's going to take some effort but New Zealand certainly have the tools to do something special. A good start in Bengaluru will certainly set them on their way but there is no denying that they cannot allow India the slightest room to barge through.

The forecast for the Test has a lot of rain in store. But the sub-air drainage system of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is arguably the best in the world and while interruptions are expected, a result should certainly be on the cards too. Expect an interesting few days ahead then!

India Probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

New Zealand Probable XI: Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Will O'Rourke

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