🏏India vs New Zealand, 1st Test: Bengalore,16 Oct- 20th Oct Day 4🏏 - Page 3

When I think of New Zealand in India, mind always goes back to the sweeping exhibition that Tom Latham put on in an ODI at the Wankhede - in the company of Ross Taylor. But that hasn't necessarily been the case in Tests, where New Zealand have not won a match in India since 1988. They held on to a fighting draw in Kanpur last time around. Latham, now New Zealand's Test captain, hopes to lean on past experiences and is hoping that the Bengaluru weather allows their seamers to come into the game. Key allrounder Rachin Ravindra also believes in sticking to what works for New Zealand as a team. They are coming into this series on the back of a 2-0 loss in Sri Lanka

With a new skipper at the helm, the Blackcaps look to breach a frontier that no touring team has in over a decade. Their 2-month long Asian odyssey culminates with this 3-match Test series against India and so far, they’ve had little to write home about. A rare and complete washout in the one-off Test against Afghanistan robbed the Blackcaps off crucial game-time in subcontinent conditions and when they turned up on Sri Lankan shores, they were met by stiff resistance from a buoyant home side. New Zealand’s skilful display in the first of two Tests at Galle couldn’t earn them a win and any confidence that they might’ve gained were brutally crushed as Sri Lanka swept the series with a comprehensive win in the second. So, a wounded and deflated New Zealand side face their toughest challenge yet and a quick glance at their line-up also reveals a Kane Williamson sized hole in their ranks.

Incessant rain also hampered the teams' preperations in the lead-up to this game and even as we look to remain optimistic, the message from Ganesh, who's at the ground, reads so -"Raining steadily at Chinnaswamy and the square is covered. Difficult to see a start on time at this point". With the forecast for the following days looking bleak as well, we'll have to resign to the fact that this will be another shortened game. Unlike in Kanpur, however, where the groundstaff needed a considerable amount of time to get conditions fit for play even after the rain stopped, there will be no such problems here at Bengaluru owing to the world-class sub surface aeration system installed in the outfield. It should allow play to restart within minutes of the rain relenting.

India, meanwhile, could well be in Test-cricket utopia. Sitting at the top of the WTC table and having a commanding view over the rest, India can be likened to a lion waiting for its next victim to turn up at the den. Such is their prosperity that they can even afford to approach this series with an eye on the hotly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year. Returning to whites for the first time since March, India promptly dispatched an eager Bangladesh side that turned up fresh off a historic win in Pakistan. Even poor weather in the 2nd Test at Kanpur couldn’t stop India from asserting their brazen dominance as they hammered their opponents despite nearly three days of play being lost to rain. They might have to recreate something similar though as Bengaluru has been a rain-ridden swamp over the past couple of days.

According to the weather forecast, the rain won't ease down until 2:30 PM. It's going to be a long day it seems.

According to the weather forecast, the rain won't ease down until 2:30 PM. It's going to be a long day it seems.

My 1st post in last 2 hours

Thanks for the tag and thread:)

Thanks for the tag and thread, Madz!❤️

11:30am The opening session has been washed outas it is lunch time. The incessant light drizzle continues in Bengaluru. Forecast is said to be better in the afternoon, so we continue to keep fingers crossed

Originally posted by: WildestDreams

11:30am The opening session has been washed outas it is lunch time. The incessant light drizzle continues in Bengaluru. Forecast is said to be better in the afternoon, so we continue to keep fingers crossed

Unlikely. It's been raining and there is an Orange Alert in Bengaluru.

Thanks for the tag 💙.

Good that the next game is in Pune.

North East monsoon has started n South India.