India vs NZ: R Ashwin vital to Kohli's gameplan against Kiwis

Mumbai: The long wait for the home season of cricket ends on Thursday. India will open its 13-Test home season against New Zealand at Kanpur’s Green Park stadium.

The first Test of the three match series is going to be a ‘special one’ for various reasons. It is India’s 500th Test match, an 84 year long journey. The Kanpur game will be the first of 13 Tests, that India are set to play this season. After New Zealand, India will host England, Australia and Bangladesh.

The long test season also is an opportunity for the Virat Kohli-led team to regain the no. 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings. It also marks newly appointed India coach Anil Kumble’s first home assignment, one which the former spinner will savour, as spin-friendly pitches are expected to be the norm for the series.

Indian team have been on a roll at home, they have won nine out of their last 10 Test matches. The only draw came against South Africa last year in Bengaluru, as the game was abandoned due to rain. On the other hand, New Zealand’s last victory in India came 18 years back in 1998.

Key players

Ravichandran Ashwin

The off-spinner is in the form of his life and is expected to wreak havoc on the Kiwis. Ashwin took 17 wickets in the last series against West Indies and helped India register their biggest Test series victory on the Caribbean soil. The winner of six player of the series award, most by any Indian Test player ever will be Kohli’s biggest weapon against New Zealand.

Ajinkya Rahane

The Indian batsmen have shown a weakness against spin bowling in the recent years. The team was downed at Galle last year against Sri Lanka, as Ranagana Herath took seven wickets in the second innings. The all-round game of Ajinkya Rahane would come in very handy for India. The diminutive batsmen has displayed good composure against spin bowling. Incidentally, he was the only player to score a century in India’s last home series against South Africa.

Mark Craig, Ish Sodhi and Michell Santner

It is quite unusual for the Kiwis to have three very good spinners in their squad. The Kanpur pitch is expected to turn as the match wears on. In that case, the combination of Craig, Sodhi and Santner could spell trouble for the Indian batsmen.

Key concerns

Martin Guptill

The explosive New Zealand opener is struggling for form. However, he still enjoys the support of skipper Kane Williamson and will most probably open the innings.

Guptill lasted for a mere 21 balls in the only practice game against Mumbai, at the Feroz Shah Kotla. A good start in Test cricket is invaluable and New Zealand will hope that Guptill finds his form at the right time.

Ishant Sharma

India’s most-experienced pace bowler Ishant Sharma is down and out of the first Test, as he is still recovering from Chikungunya. The responsibility to spearhead the Indian pace attack will most probably fall on Mohammad Shami, who took 11 wickets in West Indies after a long lay-off.

Tim Southee

The situation is the same for New Zealand, they are also without Tim Southee, their most-experienced bowler. One of the best new ball bowlers in world cricket, Southee is out due to an ankle injury. Southee’s career-best figure of 7/64 had come against India at Bengaluru in 2012.

Squads

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Mark Craig, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, BJ Watling (wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner