ANI
Bengaluru
The opening day of the first Test between India and New Zealand at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswammy Stadium was called off due to rain on Wednesday.
No proceedings could take place today at all due to heavy rain, not even the toss.
India are looking to continue their home dominance in the three-match Test series. They have not lost a Test series at home since their 1-2 loss to England in the 2012-13 season. Since then, India have won 18 successive Test series at home and are undefeated in a series since over 4,000 days. They currently sit at the top of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 standings with eight wins, two losses and a draw in 11 Tests.
On the other hand, New Zealand suffered a 2-0 series whitewash at the hands of Sri Lanka away from home recently. The Tim Southee-led side was blanked in the opening Test that went right down the wire with a 63-run defeat and lost the second Test by an innings and 154 runs. They sit at the sixth place in the ICC WTC points table with three wins and five losses in eight Tests.
India named a 15-player squad. Jasprit Bumrah has been officially appointed as Rohit Sharma’s deputy for the three Tests. Following the conclusion of the Sri Lanka series, Tim Southee decided to step down as New Zealand captain, and Tom Latham has been appointed.
India’s squad for the three Tests against New Zealand: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.
New Zealand squad: Tom Latham (C), Tom Blundell (WK), Michael Bracewell (1st Test only), Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Ish Sodhi (2nd and 3rd Test only), Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
