R Ashwin Articulates The Essence Of Test Cricket Ahead Of The IND Vs NZ Match: “It’s The Pinnacle Of Sport.”

Ravichandran Ashwin eloquently captured the beauty of Test cricket, referring to it as the pinnacle of the sport. India is set to host New Zealand for a three-match Test series starting on October 16.

Ashwin’s Insights on Adaptability

In a video released by the BCCI on their official social media platforms, Ashwin provided insights during a practice session in Bengaluru. He emphasized that Test cricket demands adaptability and that teams need to devise new strategies each day. “See, Test cricket is always about adaptability, right? You can’t start Day 5 like how you started Day 1. Every day you need to be able to adapt along with conditions. That’s why they say Test cricket is the pinnacle of this particular sport,” Ashwin explained in the video.

Preparations Ahead of the Series

The Indian team has been diligently training in the nets as they gear up for the crucial Test series against New Zealand. Ashwin, who recently won the Player of the Series award in a 2-0 clean sweep against Bangladesh, aims to replicate his impressive performance against the Kiwis. With 527 Test wickets under his belt, he has the opportunity to surpass Nathan Lyon’s tally of 530, which would make him the leading off-spinner in terms of wickets from the current era.

Match Preview: India vs. New Zealand

The first Test match will take place at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. New Zealand will be captained by Tom Latham following Tim Southee’s resignation from captaincy after a 0-2 Test series loss to Sri Lanka.

In recent form, New Zealand has struggled, failing to win any of their last five Test matches, while India has triumphed in each of their last five red-ball games. Currently, the Rohit Sharma-led team sits at the top of the World Test Championship points table with a percentage of 74.24. In contrast, New Zealand is languishing in sixth place with a percentage of 37.50.

Historical Context

The last Test match between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru took place in 2012, where India emerged victorious by five wickets, using only four specialist bowlers—two pacers and two spinners. As the two teams prepare to face off again, anticipation builds around Ashwin’s contributions and the overall dynamics of the series.

Read More : Rohit Sharma Praises Yashasvi Jaiswal Ahead Of Test Series