India vs New Zealand Test Cricket: Spin Key in Battle of Unequals

Stakes will be high when New Zealand return to India to play a bilateral three-match Test series for the first time in four years.

The last time the Black Caps came down to play the Indian cricket team, they failed to put up a challenge and went on to lose both matches of the two-match Test series that were played in Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha had wreaked havoc for the Kiwi batting order in 2012 with the former ending up as the Player of the Series with as many as 18 wickets, the highest in the series with three five-wicket hauls.

Though left-arm tweaker Ojha will not be around this time, the Ashwin factor will count once again, as has been pointed out by New Zealand coach Mike Hesson.

"If you've got two left-handers against Ashwin at the top it's going to be a big challenge for us. We have to assess conditions and pick what we think is the right mix," Hesson said recently.

Only this time the right-arm spinner is a more refined and much more experienced bowler who has won his team several more matches. Plus, on those spinning tracks, the 29-year-old Ashwin could be lethal, especially on Day 4 or 5 of any Test.

The two teams will play three Tests this time around in Kanpur (September 22-26), Kolkata (September 30-October 4) and Indore (October 8-12) and all three wickets are traditionally known to support spin.

Spin is going to be king

Who can forget the India vs South Africa Test at Green Park in 2008 which finished in less than three days after Harbhajan Singh befuddled the Proteas batsman to go on to clinch the Player of the Series award.

From Sourav Ganguly to Gautam Gambhir, every cricket expert has pointed out that spin will be the central factor in the upcoming series. But both the former left-handed openers have also said that New Zealand are good players of spin bowling.

Even the Black Caps batsman are aware that spin will be the major challenge for them.

"We are expecting the wickets to turn over here. We are not expecting the wickets to be like this one here at Kotla. We are expecting it to turn for the Test matches," Ross Taylor said referring to the Ferozeshah Kotla wicket where New Zealand are currently playing a three-day practice game against Mumbai's Ranji Trophy side.

Horses for courses for the Kiwis

The visitors have included James Neesham in their squad. Though he has not played an international match since November 2015, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) believe the all-rounder will be more than able to challenge India in sub-continental conditions.

Meanwhile, pacer Matt Henry and batsman Jeet Raval have been dropped from the 16-man squad that toured South Africa with Neesham the only addition to the current 15-man squad. All-rounder Corey Anderson could not be considered due to a back injury.

On the other hand, the Sandip Patil-led selection committee have entrusted the Virat Kohli-led side, which beat the West Indies 2-0 in an away tour recently, with a similar job.

Almost the same side that toured the Caribbean has been retained with the only changes being the omission of all-rounder Stuart Binny and pacer Shardul Thakur. Meaning the squad of 17 for the West Indies has now been truncated to 15.

Lifeline for Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma

Skipper Kohli has once again put his faith in Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma who have been inconsistent, especially lately, in the longest format of the game.

Nevertheless, on paper, the Indian batting line-up with the likes of Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Dhawan, Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara are expected not just to hold fort but also revel in home conditions as traditionally they have.

All questions will be answered when the two sides meet at Green Park in Kanpur on September 22. While the home team will vie for a comprehensive series victory, the challenge for the Black Caps will be to survive the Indian spinners and turning wickets.