After securing its first limited-overs series victory in New Zealand, India begins its quest for its first cricket Test series win in the country in 41 years beginning on Wednesday.
India enters the three-Test series in a confident mood after beating New Zealand 3-1 in the rain-affected five-match limited-overs series. New Zealand, which previously won two Twenty20 internationals, regained some confidence when it achieved a consolation victory in the last one-day international in Auckland on Saturday.
Indian batsman Virender Sehwag, particularly, dominated New Zealand's bowlers in the ODIs which were played on perfect batting wickets. The reinforcement of the Indian Test squad with players such as Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman promises to make their batting lineup more formidable.
New Zealand's hope is that the Test series will offer both weather and pitch conditions which will better suit its bowlers, and will cause the Indian batsmen the difficulties of adjustment which have cost them every Test series they have played in New Zealand since 1968.
The pitch at Hamilton's Seddon Park, a pleasant tree-lined oval near the center of New Zealand's fifth-largest city, has traditionally been helpful to bowlers and is likely to have more early grass-covering than the one-day pitches.
When the teams last met in the city in December 2002 India tumbled to a hefty series defeat as both teams failed to make 100 in their first innings and New Zealand won by four wickets chasing 160.
Indian batsmen Sachin Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag and captain M.S. Dhoni are the ones who have a better understanding of Kiwi conditions.
Dhoni was still reluctant to presume India's one-day success will translate to the Test arena, or admit New Zealand's win on Saturday had interrupted his team's momentum.
"Before the one-day series, I was asked the same question because of the Twenty20 defeats," Dhoni said.
"As I said, it's not about what we have done. We have to start from scratch again. Nothing changes; particularly when it comes to Test cricket, where you have to play consistent cricket over a period of time. I don't think (the defeat) matters when it comes to the last game of a one-day series."
The New Zealand bowlers suffered some bruising to their confidence in the one-day series especially from Sehwag, who accumulated 299 runs at a strike rate of 150 with a top score of 125, and Tendulkar who scored 163 in Christchurch.
The addition of Chris Martin, James Franklin and the uncapped Brent Arnel to their Test squad offers some hope those wounds won't be carried over to the Tests.
New Zealand coach Andy Moles said his players respected India but were not intimidated by them.
"We know that India are a great side. We respect them but we are not scared of them. We showed that (on Saturday)," Moles said.
"We got early wickets and that put them under pressure. They make mistakes like everybody else."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments
Post a Comment