Unsettled middle-order, unusual conditions greet hosts as India seek vital WTC points at Wankhede
MUMBAI: As India and New Zealand lock horns in the second game of a riveting series that really deserved more than just two Tests at the Wankhede Stadium here from Friday, few things seem normal.
It has never rained as heavily in Mumbai in December as much as it rained on Wednesday. Though it stopped drizzling on Thursday morning, it rained in fits and starts the entire afternoon, putting the start of play on Day One in slight danger. The inclement weather forced the Kiwis to skip practice altogether, while the Indians trained at the MCA's indoor facility at BKC.
Thankfully for cricket fans, bright weather is predicted from Friday, the first day of the Test. Still, the wet and cloudy conditions in Mumbai at present would make the Kiwis feel more at home - it's as if they're in Christchurch or Wellington, than in a city known for its heat and humidity. Regardless of the state of the wicket, this environment should favour their fabulous fast bowling trio of Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner - all three, particularly Southee can swing the ball well, while Jamieson and Wagner should enjoy the generous bounce on offer.
Returning to the Wankhede Stadium brings back happy memories for New Zealand - back in November 1988, it was here that they beat India in India in a Test last - when they rode on John Bracewell and Richard Hadlee's heroic performances to clinch a 136-run win.
For the first time since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2017, India are heading into the final match of a home Test series with the series on line, with the Kiwis having wriggled out of 'jail' by drawing the first Test in Kanpur with their last pair holding fort for 52 balls.
Having had to contend with just four points in the previous Test, India, desperate for a win that would land 12 points in their kitty, would heavily bank on R Ashwin's awesome record at Wankhede. In four Tests here, the ace India off-spinner has bagged 30 wickets@21.93, with three five-wicket hauls.
It would be interesting to see if India play both their left-arm spinners - Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel or go in with an extra pacer. Either ways, the impressive Mohammed Siraj, who shouldn't have been dropped in the first place, looks good for a return and bolster India's seam attack in helpful conditions.
While the bowling looks more organized, India's batting, starting with the openers, looks more brittle than ever. With regular Test skipper Virat Kohli returning for this game, the sword of Damocles hangs over the man who led India in Kanpur -Ajinkya Rahane. Having endured an endless poor run of form, the 33-yearold faces the terrible prospect of being dropped from what could be his first 'home' Test after 79 Tests. Also sailing in troubled waters is India No 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, who is yet to score a century since his knock of 193 against Australia in Sydney in 2019. A safer option is to perhaps open with Wriddhiman Saha and accommodate everyone in the middle-order.
"It's the biggest test for new coach Rahul Dravid. Will he drop one of the openers or leave out Rahane, because Virat is coming back, and you can't drop Shreyas Iyer. There's no point in dropping Mayank Agarwal, since he's a specialist opener and needs a proper run," former India off-spinner and a selector till last year, Sarandeep Singh tells TOI.
While Covid restrictions have reduced the crowd capacity to 25%, a thrilling Test, like the one in Kanpur, could provide cricket-lovers with something to rejoice in tough times.
