India take on New Zealand in 1st Test today

FE Team | Published: October 15, 2024 23:45:44

The pitch area is covered with plastic sheets at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, India, on Tuesday, as it rains on the eve of the first Test match between India and New Zealand today(Wednesday) —AP

BENGALURU, India, Oct 15 (AP): India will have a keen eye on its upcoming tour of Australia as it takes on New Zealand in a three-Test series starting in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Before the five-Test clash in Australia from next month, India plays the Kiwis on home soil in a series that could confirm India's spot in the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The three tests will be played in Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai. India is currently atop the WTC rankings, and a 3-0 win in this series against New Zealand would assure its spot for the final at Lord's next June.
After beating Bangladesh 2-0 in the preceding Test series, a full-strength Indian squad is once again available for selection. In-form top-order batters or world class spinners - India is spoilt for choice. India would arguably like to see a few more runs from the likes of Virat Kohli and Lokesh Rahul. The 35-year-old Kohli missed the home series against England earlier in the year for the birth of his second child. Against Bangladesh, he only had limited batting time and scored 99 runs in four innings.
For New Zealand, meanwhile, this series is about hitting the reset button.
The Black Caps have already been on a long sub-continental tour. It began with the one-off washed out test against Afghanistan in Greater Noida, India, followed by a 2-0 loss in Sri Lanka.