Kridaya Cricket Blog

Bark Bay Island

India has extended their tour of New Zealand to include another Test and a second T20. This is good news for sporting fans of both countries. As I wrote before, the series with just 2 Test matches is absurd and scornful. It prevents a proper build of the Test series which gets over just as the fun gets started.

In recent times, India have only played 2-Test series against NZ. Their recent record has been bad: 0-2 (2) in 2002/03, and 0-1 (2) in 1998/99, but part of this is because the Indians fail to get adjusted to the unique NZ weather and pitch conditions quickly enough. The batting lineup is very fragile on New Zealand pitches. Hopefully, this time, their first Test is preceded by two Twenty20 International and five one-dayers.

Unfortunately, their practice matches have been dropped. This is the same stupid mistake that the Boards made before India’s last tour of Australia. They lost the first two matches before getting into their element and winning the third. They may have had a better record if they played one first-class match and understood that His Highness Yuvraj Singh is incompetent to play in a Test that lies outside India’s national boundary. 

I am frankly excited about this tour, because this is India’s best chance to win a series in New Zealand after a long time. India has a good batting lineup, with experience and youth, and a charismatic captain. The bowling line is not very strong, but that is generally not a problem in NZ, where the pitches are more bowler-friendly. And New Zealand have not been performing well in Tests of late. India has only won one tour in NZ, their very first one in 1968. They should try to turn it around this time.

It should be anytime now that we will hear the selectors announcing the teams for the tour. Barring injuries, the India team should contain all the team members who played in the Test series. There may be room for only one spinner, though. Dravid, who closely escaped with a century in the 2nd Test against England (and then made a duck), has to shape up for the trip. If he performs badly and India lose 2-0, or India win (with everyone else performing but him), then he could be under heavy pressure to retain his place in the team. India has another tour of the West Indies in the summer, so Dravid needs to perform.

[Image licensed from mrpattersonsir]