If you can counter the wind factor you are bound to have a distinct advantage over your opponents – this is the golden rule of playing Test cricket at the Basin Reserve. It’s an open venue and strong southerly as well as northerly wind blow right across the ground and as a cricketer out on the park, you need to adjust your gameplans accordingly, especially if you are from the visiting side and haven’t played much cricket here.
Hence, for obvious reasons this wind factor has been the premier talking point as India prepare to kick start their red-ball leg of the tour of New Zealand in world’s southernmost capital city Wellington from Friday (February 21). From Virat Kohli to Kane Williamson to Ross Taylor to Ajinkya Rahane, everyone has spoken on the importance of this particular aspect of Basin Reserve going into this two-Test series, which is also a part of ongoing World Test Championship (WTC).
Meanwhile this Test series has already been branded as the battle between the two world-class pace bowling attacks. India, as well all know, are currently in the middle of a Renaissance in the pace bowling department whereas New Zealand too have a lethal pace attack, which will be more than handy on these greenish pitches and seaming conditions. Additionally, both the teams have some world class batsmen on their ranks as well. So, considering all these factors even on the eve of the start of the first Test there is no clear-cut favourite for this series.
Team news:
For New Zealand left-arm pacer Neil Wagner will miss this Test due to the birth of his first child. In his place Mat Henry has been called in as a replacement. However, on the eve of the match the hosts left him out from the XII which means, it is almost certain that young pacer Kyle Jamieson, who was impressive during the ODIs, will become New Zealand’s 279th Test player on Friday. They are also likely to pick left-armer Ajaz Patel in the XI as a specialist spinner.
New Zealand likely XI:
Tom Latham, Tom Blundell, Kane Williamson (C), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (WK), Colin de Grandhomme, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, Trent Boult
In the Indian team there are some uncertainty regarding couple of spots. Firstly, as the third seamer Ishant Sharma is the preferred option for the team but he was put through a fitness Test on Thursday. Earlier on Wednesday, he bowled with full intensity at the nets and looked in an excellent rhythm. It seems as Ishant is coming back from an injury break, the think-tank wants to be hundred percent assured before picking him for a five-day assignment. So, eventually if the Delhi pacer fails to be match-fit than Umesh Yadav will take his spot.
Also, the team management wants to pick a specialist spinner in the XI, even the conditions won’t offer much assistance for slow bowlers on the first three days of the Test. Meanwhile, for this spot, earlier Ravindra Jadeja seemed to be favourites because of his ability to do the holding job on overseas pitches. However, according to latest developments, it seems that the Virat Kohli and Co. is looking use its spinner as an attacking option as well. Hence, someone like Ravichandran Ashwin, who has more variety as spinner than Jadeja is likely to feature in the XI.
Meanwhile, India seem to have settled with the opening combination of Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal and for the role of wicketkeeper, Wriddhiman Saha is the favourite to get the nod ahead of Rishabh Pant.
India likely XI:
Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma/ Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
Conditions and toss factor:
On the eve of the Test match the Basin reserve pitch as a fair bit of grass. The ball is expected to do a lot for the seamers on Day 1 but the conditions will ease out for batters as the match progresses, as it generally happens in Test matches in New Zealand. Since 2016, the average first innings score in this country is just 276, which is the lowest in the word. So, this data suggests that unlike any other country, first innings is the toughest time to bat in a Test match in this part of the world.
Meanwhile, there will be cloudy sky on the first day with chances of some passing showers but the weather will improve from next day onward.
Considering the data heavily favouring the batting second team and the forecast of a gray sky on Friday, both the captains should look to bowl first in this Wellington Test.
Milestone:
This Test match will be Ross Taylor’s 100th match in the longest version. He will also become the first-ever international cricketer to play 100 or more matches in all three formats of the game.
Match starts: 11.30 AM (Local), 4 AM (IST)
Quote of the day (Ajinkya Rahane on the wind-factor):
“That [His 100 at Basin Reserve back in 2014] was a really special moment for me. Getting that hundred I remember that my backlift was changing because of the wind and that was a challenge to control my backlift. Sometimes you got to play with low backlift and you have got to change your guard may be and play accordingly. I keep watching my maiden hundred.”