India - New Zealand Series

India v New Zealand, 3rd Test: Preview

India and New Zealand go head to head in the third test match of the three test series at Wellington on Friday. The Indians have taken a 1-0 lead in the series and can only either go on to win their first test series win in New Zealand after 1968 or can draw it, they certainly cannot lose the series.

New Zealand bounced back admirably from a thrashing in the first Test to stretch India at McLean Park. They dominated the first three days as the batsmen answered Daniel Vettori’s request to bat 120 overs by scoring 619 in 154.4 before the bowlers secured a 314-run lead. After enforcing the follow-on on the third evening, they were thwarted by India’s batsmen who were determined not to repeat their first-innings mistakes on the most placid of pitches.

India, on the other hand, will take confidence from their series-saving effort in Napier. They cannot lose the series and they will be hoping their chances of victory are boosted by the return of Dhoni, who missed the second Test because of back spasms and is not a certainty for the third. Without Dhoni, India lacked their edge in the field and his replacement Virender Sehwag appeared bereft of ideas and inspiration when Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum were plundering runs. Dinesh Karthik was also an inadequate replacement both behind the stumps and with the bat.

It will be interesting to see if MS Dhoni will be able to play or not, and whether Munaf Patel will be retained in the side as the third pacer or not.

Tags: India, new zealand