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Senior batter Kane Williamson will miss the third Test against India at Mumbai to ensure full recovery from a groin injury ahead of the home series versus England, starting from November 28. Williamson did not play in the first two Tests against India, which the Kiwis won to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. It also ended India's 18-series winning streak at home dating back to 2012. The final Test of the rubber will be played at the Wankhede Stadium from November 1. "Kane continues to show good signs, but isn't quite ready to jump on a plane and join us," NZ head coach Gary Stead said in a media release. "While things are looking promising, we think the best course of action is for him to stay in New Zealand and focus on the final part of his rehabilitation so he'll be good to go for England," Stead added. The first Test between New Zealand and England will be played at Christchurch. "The England series is still a month away so taking the cautious approach
Jolted by an unexpected loss on home turf, star-heavy India will look for right balance in the line-up to counter-attack against a spunky New Zealand in the crucial second Test beginning here on Thursday. After being shot out for an embarrassing 46 in the first innings at Bengaluru, India's resolute show in the second innings could not prevent an eight-wicket pounding which saw the top-ranked team in the World Test Championship table dropping points even though it continues to hold the top spot. Winning the next two Tests will be first priority for Rohit Sharma and his men before they hit the Australian shores for a five-Test affair next month. With India in a spot of bother, focus has undeniably been on the nature of the pitch here at the MCA Stadium here. It does not have grass cover and is composed of black soil to negate the bounce which New Zealand extracted in Bengaluru. India's free-flowing batters cut a sorry figure when William O'Rourke and the seasoned duo of Matt Henry a
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma believes in consistency when it comes to team selection but he will have to take a leap of faith to retain speedster Mohammed Siraj in the playing eleven for the second Test against New Zealand considering his poor run in home conditions. The match starts in Pune from October 24 and inclusion of spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar as the fifth slow bowler is an indication that coach Gautam Gambhir and Rohit might go for the jugular on a spin-friendly track. The 30-year-old Hyderabadi has so far taken 80 wickets in 30 Test matches but 61 of those scalps have come in 17 away Test matches in three of the SENA countries (South Africa, England, Australia). Only 19 wickets after bowling 192.2 overs in 13 home Tests are figures that imply that Siraj has struggled in sub-continental conditions unlike Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, who have had the ability to throw pitch and conditions out of equation. To be fair to Siraj, in those 13 Tests, he went ..