The resounding nature of India’s victory in the series opener in Hamilton, without doubt, spells more of the same come the second Test in Napier.
New Zealand can ride on the back of one or two blokes’ individual performances against ICC Test rankings bottom feeder – the Windies and Bangladesh – but against Mahendra Dhoni’s juggernaut they need their entire unit to step to the fore, yet that isn’t happening.
The Indian camp, spirits are high and their inability to win on New Zealand soil in over three decades is contently resigned to history. Now, a series win is in the offing and it’s hard to see the team with arguably the best top-order and new-ball pair not dishing out more of the same to their hapless opposition.
It’s a near certainty that they’ll go into the match unchanged but the temptation to ‘rest’ Munaf Patel in favour of Lakshmipathy Balaji must’ve crossed the minds of the selectors.
All is still very well in the batting ranks. While Sehwag unleashes the fury and Gambhir plays the support roll, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Yuvraj Singh wait on perennial centurion Sachin Tendulkar for their chance at the crease. Then follows Dhoni…
While history was, for a brief period prior to the first Test, said to be against India.
Last Five Results
2009: First Test: India won by 10 wickets at Hamilton
2003: Second Test: Match Drawn at Mohali
2003: First Test: Match Drawn at Ahmedabad
2002: Second Test: New Zealand won four wickets at Hamilton
2002: First Test: New Zealand won 10 wickets at Wellington
Dates: 26-30 March
Morning session: 10:30-12:30 (21:30-11:30 GMT)
Afternoon session: 13:10-15:10 (00:10 – 02:10 GMT)
Evening session: 15:30-17:30 (02:30 – 04:30 GMT)
Match referee: Alan Hurst
Umpires: Billy Doctrove and Ian Gould
Third Umpire: Gary Baxter
