Here is all that you need to know about the third Test match between India and New Zealand. The match will begin on Saturday and will be played in Indore. India are leading 2-0 in the three-match series. The Test match provides Virat Kohli his big chance to leave a stamp as far as his own legend is concerned. The legend is yet not carved but can begin to take shape this home season. His captaincy is the issue in focus that we are talking about. It is little doubt that sooner than later he should be captaining India in all formats of the game but for now Test cricket is in focus. One way or the other what will be really important is that which team makes the first move.
The first day of the Test is always the key and it will not be a surprise to see both teams itching for early domination. India have often felt that they are invincible at home and there should not be any surprises there considering how they have gone about their business more often than not. Indore has been an interesting track. Some may think of the reputation it has because of its history of being called a seamer’s delight. And there are others who will think about the beauty, the batting beauty that it is. One way or the other, it is going to get interesting and there is no denying that.
New Zealand are a gutsy little team and would know how to do the early running if given a chance. India should be wary of that and should not take them lightly at all. That will be the key for India to dominate.(India vs New Zealand, Live Score, 3rd Test Match, New Zealand in India, 2016)
How it goes for Kohli only time will tell but we have no doubt that it is his big chance. There will be three Test matches and five ODIs against New Zealand in this summer and India are pencilled in as favourites to sweep both the Test and the ODI series.
Okay here we do not strictly mean that India will win 3-0 and 5-0, not at all but will win nevertheless. There is no doubt that one way or the other we will see New Zealand put up a fight and in both formats but India at home can be deadly, in all formats. Coming back to our man Kohli, it will be interesting how his captaincy evolves.
Can he be on the top of his game and captain with flair? Indian captains over the years have lacked imagination in terms of being tactically super aggressive. Will Kohli change that is the big question.
Squads
India
Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli (c), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Gautam Gambhir, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Rohit Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Lokesh Rahul, Ishant Sharma, Karun Nair, Shardul Thakur.
New Zealand
Kane Williamson (c), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jeetan Patel, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Mark Craig, James Neesham, Tim Southee.