http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 vs New Zealand – 1st Test – Match Preview
After starting the season on a winning note, India will seek to maintain their rhythm when they play host to a struggling http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hyderabad-c792, August 23, 2012.
For the most loyal of Indian fans, it would have been a relief to see the team taking a month’s lay-off after another frantic cricketing season, which ended with Kolkata Knight Riders emerging victorious in the Indian Premier League.
Indeed, for BCCI and team India, IPL wholeheartedly exists in their calendar even if it might not earn the desired recognition from ECB despite continued insistence from one http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806.
The positive however, this time around was the extended break which had given them adequate time to prepare for this season’s opener against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758. They triumphed emphatically in the ODI format and also nailed the Only T20I to affirm their strong intent.
However, one could argue that the limited-overs format has hardly been their major headache despite the team under performing this year. They arguably have bigger issues to address in the Test format, where their showings have virtually been non-existent
over the past year or so.
It includes the now infamous away whitewashes against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Dravid-c2229, who retired after the humiliation
the team suffered Down Under, and the imminent retirement plans of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772.
His replacement will be hard to find but for now one will back the likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SR-Tendulkar-c2556 to fill the void, at least on home turf.
The bright spot for now remains the form of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/V-Kohli-c2737. He has been the mainstay of the lineup this year, scoring runs galore but will know the added responsibility of transferring his stupendous ODI form into Test cricket. He will dearly fancy his chances
against a struggling Kiwi outfit.
The other player to miss out is http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CA-Pujara-c1209,
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ajinkya-Rahane-c970 to push for a permanent place.
The bowling will be spearheaded by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/PP-Ojha-c2198 will lead the spin attack.
The tourists, on the other hand, are struggling big time. They have been totally outplayed throughout the year – apart from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045 – and they must need to find a way to start winning games.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Guptill-c1980, who was the highest scorer of the recently concluded Test series in Caribbean, and while
they can rely on http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915, other players will need to start contributing on a regular basis.
Injury to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JS-Patel-c1747, the leg-spinner, will have plenty of work to do in days to come.
For now, the odds are firmly stacked against the Black Caps and much would depend on how quickly they adapt to the conditions, keeping in mind that they will go into the first Test without a warm-up game.
The pitch will be slow turner with plenty of runs for the batters.
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