Rain Showers Delay Thrilling Start To India Vs New Zealand First Test Match

Rohit Sharma-led India side is all set to begin the tri-match test series against New Zealand. The cricketing gods have spoiled the occasion with the intervention of rain.

The Men in Blue are on a six-match unbeaten streak with their last win registered against Bangladesh in the Kanpur test. On the contrary, New Zealand has absolute confidence in whitewashing Sri Lanka in their previous outing in Southeast Asia.

New Zealand will function in the absence of skipper Kane Williamson. Star Batsman Tom Latham is all set to take over the team. Whereas India is going ahead with the same side more or less with lead pacers being Mohammad Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep. New Gen players Shubman Gill and Yashaswi Jaiswal are featured at the top order.

Silencing the Critics

Star players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the major targets of the fans as well as the media for not scoring enough runs. Both the veterans will look to redeem themselves by registering good numbers on the scoreboard.

The Indian skipper has scored 497 runs at an average of around 35, with two hundred and one fifty, while Kohli hasn’t managed to score a half-century in the six innings he has played this year.

India Squad:

Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.

New Zealand Squad:

Tom Latham (captain), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Mark Chapman, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Blundell (wk), Ajaz Patel, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, William O’Rourke, Jacob Duffy.

India will look to start by dominating the Kiwis in the three-match test series. The series is all set to start in Bengaluru, rest of the games will be played in Pune and Mumbai followed by which India will fight for the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Read More : Watch: Babar’s Replacement Kamran Ghulam Was Slapped By Haris Rauf; Viral Video Resurfaces