What
The third and final Test of the three match series between India and New Zealand
When
November 20-24, 2010. The game begins at 9.30 am, IST.
Where
Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur
The series so far:
Most people expected India to have wrapped up this series by now, given the modest pedigree of the touring New Zealand side. Yet, with Brendon McCullum, Tim McIntosh, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson and Jesse Ryder having batted impressively (barring Guptill, each of the aforementioned names has posted a century in this series) and Chris Martin and Daniel Vettori bowling impressive spells, the Indians have, on occasion, found themselves on the back foot, like on the last day of the Ahmedabad Test.
Both Test venues, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, have offered very little assistance to India’s main strength viz. spin, which is why Harbhajan Singh has been more in the news for his runs (two back-to-back centuries) than his wickets (6 wickets at an average of 50.83). India have struggled to take 20 wickets in both Tests, and the absence of Zaheer Khan, who bowled sporadically in the second innings of the Hyderabad Test, in Nagpur means that Ishant Sharma should make his way back into the playing eleven. The batting though, with Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman being in good form, has lived up to its billing.
The Venue
The Vidharbha Cricket Association Stadium was opened only in 2008. India have played only two Tests at this venue, the first against Australia in November 2008, and the second against South Africa in February, at the beginning of this year. Both matches have brought different results for the hosts, as India won the Test against Australia to complete a 2-0 series result against Australia, and lost the match against South Africa to go down 0-1 in that two match series (they would eventually draw the series in Kolkata).
Both matches have been won in contrasting ways, leading to no conclusive opinion on the wicket ahead of Saturday’s Test match. When India beat Australia in 2008, the Indian spinners took 12 wickets in the Test, with Harbhajan posting an impressive seven wicket haul for the match. Yet, when the South Africans beat India in February, 2010, Dale Steyn took 10 wickets in the Test with his figures of 7-51 in India’s first innings setting up the win for the Proteas by a whopping margin of an innings and 6 runs.
The Teams (probable playing XIs):
India: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, S Sreesanth
New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (c), Brendon McCullum, Tim McIntosh, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Kane Williamson, Gareth Hopkins (wk), Chris Martin, Tim Southee, Brent Arnel.
