New Zealand vs India 2020: 1st Test, Wellington - Match Prediction
Updated - 20 Feb 2020, 02:21 PM
New Zealand vs India 2020: 1st Test, Wellington – Match Prediction; After displaying high-quality skills in the shorter formats of the game, the Indian National Cricket Team and New Zealand are all set to lock horns in the two-match Test series, which will fall under the ICC World Test Championship. Both the teams have enough superstars to make fans relax on their seats and enjoy the show of class.
India have been in a total domination mode in Test matches since the start of the World Test Championship (WTC) and it’s no surprise that they are leading the WTC points table (360 points) by a fair margin. New Zealand with 60 points, on the other hand, have lost four out of the five matches they have played in the WTC and are nowhere in the finals’ race at the moment.
The Kiwis would be aiming a clean-sweep against India in the Test matches as well, which will provide some sort of lifeline to their campaign and will keep their hopes alive in the World Test Championship.
New Zealand does have an upper hand in their conditions, but achieving a 2-0 result against this Indian team will be extremely difficult considering the kind of cricket India have been playing in the longest format of late.
Team Combinations:
In the absence of India’s premier opener, Rohit Sharma, either of Prithvi Shaw or Shubman Gill would get an opportunity to open the innings alongside Mayank Agarwal, who has had a fantastic 2019 as an opener in Tests.
Given that Shaw was India’s preferred opener before he got injured, and has been in good form playing for India A and the warm-up match, Shaw is most-likely to open the innings alongside Agarwal.
The hosts don’t have selection headaches going into the game. Tom Blundell has cemented his place at the top of the order on the back of his performances in Australia. Thus, he will open the batting with Tom Latham.
Henry Nicholls will bat at No. 5, while the 6th and the 7th spot will be occupied by the wicket-keeper batsman BJ Watling and the all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme respectively.
New Zealand vs India 2020: 1st Test – Match Prediction
New Zealand have won 11 and just lost two Test matches at home since 2013. Furthermore, they are unbeaten in Tests at home since April 2017. While Kohli-led Team India is unbeaten while batting first in away Tests.
However, they also have not won a single Test while bowling first under Kohli.
With the pitches in New Zealand feeding to bowl first, Kohli’s captaincy will face a huge Test. So, will New Zealand, who have beaten India just once in the last 10 Tests.
All in all, it will be a thrilling action but New Zealand will have a slight advantage over the visitors, thus, they will enter the game as favourites to win.
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India vs New Zealand 2020 Indian National Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team New Zealand vs India 2020 Wellington