India Spinners Expected to Give New Zealanders Nightmares
Since 2011, Indian spinners have played a dominant role in the side's Test wins at home. The script is unlikely to change in 2016-17 season
- Aryan Prakash
- Updated: September 15, 2016 08:18 PM IST
Highlights
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India will play 13 Tests at home in 2016-17 season
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Indian spinners are set to exploit tailor-made conditions
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All eyes will be on Ashwin, Amit Mishra and Ravindra Jadeja
On September 22, when India take the field against New Zealand at Kanpur's Green Park Stadium for the first of three-Test series, it will be a beginning of a gruelling season at home.
While the Indians are buoyant after clinching a four-Test series in the West Indies, New Zealand are smarting under a 1-0 away defeat at South Africa. India are expected to hold the aces at home for sure.
For teams from outside the sub-continent, adapting to conditions in India is a Herculean task. Although the Indian Premier League has helped foreign players get a feel of the playing conditions, Test cricket is entirely a different cup of tea.
Above all, negotiating spin on rank turners is the biggest challenge. Irrespective of their stature in world cricket, Australia, England and South Africa have struggled on Indian wickets and it's the turn of the Kiwis now.
Strong bastion
Barring the forgettable 2-1 loss to England at home in 2012, India have so far remained a strong force here. This has been largely possible due to their slow bowlers making maximum use of the conditions. And the Kiwis have felt this heat too.
The spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra will surely make lives miserable for the New Zealanders. And if, Indian skipper Virat Kohli decides to rope in Ravindra Jadeja as the third spinner, then the visitors will face their ultimate test on Indian soil.
In 2012, New Zealand were undone by the heroics of Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha. The duo helped India inflict a 2-0 whitewash over a New Zealand side, then led by Ross Taylor. Ashwin had taken 18 wickets, while Ojha's left-arm spin fetched him 13 scalps.
© BCCI
Potent attack
Since 2011, the Indian spinners have played a dominant role in the side's victories at home, often inviting criticism of winning in 'tailor-made conditions'.
The home series against South Africa last winter too drew incessant flak from baiters, with many drawing the side's winning streak at home to that of woes abroad.
But despite the BCCI finding itself in a fix over Test matches ending in less than four days, the troika of Ashwin, Mishra and Jadeja played a pivotal role in flummoxing the Proteas.
Ashwin, currently ranked third in ICC Test rankings, enjoys a stupendous record at home.
The Chennai off-spinner has claimed 126 victims in 19 Tests played at home in the last five years. Against New Zealand, he has 18 wickets on home turf. Against South Africa last year, his wickets tally stood at a phenomenal 31.
Similarly, Jadeja has taken 50 wickets in nine Tests at home so far in the last four years. On the other hand, Mishra has 32 scalps from 10 matches at home.
Cue from T20s
Against the famed Indian spin attack, Kane Williamson will be hoping that the spin duo of Mitchell Santner (left-arm orthodox) and leg-break bowler Inderbir (Ish) Singh Sodhi rekindle the magic they weaved during the ICC World T20 this year.
The duo returned home with 10 wickets each from the tournament, highlight being the Super-10 match against hosts India in which the 2007 champions while chasing a paltry target of 127, folded up for 79 runs. Santner and Sodhi had shared seven wickets between them.
Besides the duo, Williamson would be hoping that right-arm offie Mark Craig rises to the occasion and ably supports his senior partners.
Cricket apparently is great leveller. While it is foolhardy to predict a series winner, an uneven contest between bat and ball may not be a great advertisement for Test cricket.