***Official New Zealand in India Nov-Dec 2021 Thread***

[Apex Predator]

With KL Rahul out of the series Indian team is at its weakest since that Gabba test. Batting line up is pretty weak. NZ has a genuine shot at 1st test.
Mayank
Gill
Pujara
Shreyas Iyer
Rahane (c)
Bharath/Saha +
Jadeja/SKY
ashwin
axar
siraj
Umesh

That's the best India can come up with

 

[honestbharani]

It is what they will go with, but I would like them to try this -

Mayank
Pujara
Rahane
Gill
Shreyas / SKY
Jadeja
Saha
Ashwin
Axar
Umesh
Ishant / Siraj


They have made it clear they wanted to see how Gill goes in the middle order. Pujara is no stranger to opening and this will enable them to sort out the side better IMO.

 

[Shri]

sky isn't batting at 7 if he plays

 

[Shri]

It is what they will go with, but I would like them to try this -

Mayank
Pujara
Rahane
Gill
Shreyas / SKY
Jadeja
Saha
Ashwin
Axar
Umesh
Ishant / Siraj


They have made it clear they wanted to see how Gill goes in the middle order. Pujara is no stranger to opening and this will enable them to sort out the side better IMO.

nah if pujara opens gill is more likely to bat at 3, his usual fc position

shreyas or sky at 5 likely

 

[Flem274*]

Surely Gill and Agarwal open? They both opened at different stages in Aus.

Otherwise Rahane would be my middle order convert if you must. Get him in against the pacers before the spin spam.

 

[Flem274*]

can't wait to see jamieson deal with the humidity

calling it now. he won't play the second game if he plays the first

The Auckland late summer is basically soup and Ozone Hole. He has less excuses than an Australian or Pom if he fades. Will lol so hard if he's learned Southee's three quarter ball/offcutter.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Wait why is Rahul out of the series? Injured again?

 

[harsh.ag]

Why isn't Shaw playing??

 

[Moss]

With KL Rahul out of the series Indian team is at its weakest since that Gabba test. Batting line up is pretty weak. NZ has a genuine shot at 1st test.

Definitely narrows the gap between the teams but still expecting the three-pronged spin attack (assuming that is India's first preference, though if it's a square turner they may decide to shore up the batting and leave out Axar or one of the pacers) to be too much for NZ.

Hope Latham and KW have some plans in place based on what they learned in 2016.

 

[Apex Predator]

It is what they will go with, but I would like them to try this -

Mayank
Pujara
Rahane
Gill
Shreyas / SKY
Jadeja
Saha
Ashwin
Axar
Umesh
Ishant / Siraj


They have made it clear they wanted to see how Gill goes in the middle order. Pujara is no stranger to opening and this will enable them to sort out the side better IMO.

Saha should not get to play ideally as his time is up. If they are serious about grooming a 2nd keeper Bharath is the guy. He has solid FC numbers & showed in IPL he can handle the nerves.
Pujara opening will be nice but they probably won't tinker with his position as he is short of runs. Anything can happen under Dravid though.
Siraj & Umesh both played in Oval & did well especially Umesh. Ishant was dropped I think so he probably may sit out

 

[Apex Predator]

Definitely narrows the gap between the teams but still expecting the three-pronged spin attack (assuming that is India's first preference, though if it's a square turner they may decide to shore up the batting and leave out Axar or one of the pacers) to be too much for NZ.

Hope Latham and KW have some plans in place based on what they learned in 2016.

If NZ wins the toss & bat.. Game would be officially 50-50.
If India wins the toss & then NZ will struggle in this constest.

 

[nzfan]

I see cricinfo is pushing for Santner ahead of Jamieson and pretending Ravindra doesn't exist.

Nuh-uh you flogs, you won't get off so easily if New Zealand are intelligent. Jamieson and Ravindra might fail, but you will have to find out the harder way.

I've had a change of thought about our management. They're generally not risk takers but this time they'll. I think both Kyle and Rachin will play.

Particularly after Steady said likely we'll go with three spinners in the press conference yesterday. The way Rachin was beating master Kane's bat with drift, turn and bounce he'll likely play.

I can't find the video on YouTube anymore with the audio where you can over hear Kane talking to Ross to dot it up against Rachin and mentioning to Blundell behind the stumps if that was a straighter one, labeling it a beauty.

Although Rachin is a top class bat, on this tour I think his bowling will be the one that'll get him in the team.

 

[nzfan]

Southee can be super handy with the new ball and can reverse it. It's going to be a tough call to pick only two pacers out of Southee, Kyle and Wagner.

Indian right handers have particular issue with left handers bringing the ball back into them. With boult not around and the only left arm quick in Wagner who's capable of swinging the ball and also bowl unconventionally when required it's a tough choice.

If we play 3 fast bowlers we're going to struggle to fit in two main spinners unless we go with one less batter. It's going to be a super tough call to make for the first test.

I guess it's going to be either

Young
Latham
Kane
Ross
Nicholls
Ravindra
Blundell
Kyle
Southee
Somerville
Jazz

Or

Ravindra
Latham
Kane
Ross
Nicholls
Blundell
Kyle
Southee
Wagner
Jazz
Somerville

 

[Immenso]

I've gotten the feeling in the UAE that the selection group in squad are not necessarily in synch with the selectors back home in the squad make ups. E.g. D Mitchell as T20 opener at last minute. Trying to draft in Milne for Pakistan T20 after Fergusson was injured, not being able to in time, but then playing Seiffert instead of Jamieson when they were unable to.

So, anything could be possible.

On assumption it is going to turn big fairly early.
In my mind the team should be easy to select. It means making a tough call of not playing Jamieson who has been on the bench for almost 2 or 3 months. (That is why I wanted him to play that first Jaipur T20).

The 'easy' (or weak) call will be playing all 3 seamers and trying to fudge it by picking Santner as an allrounder / second spinner. Which he is not good enough for either role, and that role would be second or 3rd most important in the team this tour.

Latham
Young
Williamson
Taylor
Nicholls
Mitchell/Ravindra
Blundell
Southee
Wagner
Sommerville
Patel

(depending on pitch, probably Ravindra, but Mitchell is a big balls player, so if pitch looks 'fair' or flat, then I'd maybe go him. But I like the idea of Ravindra turning it away from all those RHBs before the pitch truely starts to wear. When I think Sommerville will come into it more, but I can see Indian batsmen playing him fairly comfortably first innings if win toss, and that is where we would be in danger of losing control early in a match)

 

[straw man]

The 'easy' (or weak) call will be playing all 3 seamers and trying to fudge it by picking Santner as an allrounder / second spinner. Which he is not good enough for either role, and that role would be second or 3rd most important in the team this tour.

Yeah I've come around to the idea that it's necessary to pick the 2.5 spinners with Somerville playing. Make the three seamers draw a straw to see who misses out.

 

[Bahnz]

On assumption it is going to turn big fairly early.
In my mind the team should be easy to select. It means making a tough call of not playing Jamieson who has been on the bench for almost 2 or 3 months. (That is why I wanted him to play that first Jaipur T20).

Haha, nah. The **** averages 14 ffs. They're not dropping him, especially given the extra batting he provides.

 

[Flem274*]

I'm tempted to open with Ravindra tbh. Opening the batting in Asia is a little gentler than facing the old ball for an aggressive player there, even if it does expose a left hander to a fresh Ashwin. He has to face the guy regardless.

Latham
Ravindra
Williamson (c)
Taylor
Nicholls
Blundell (wk)
Mitchell or Santner
Jamieson
Southee
Wagner
Ajaz

 

[hendrix]

My team

Latham
Will Young
KW
Taylor
Nicholls
Rachin
Blundell
Jamieson
Wagner
Southee
Ajaz

1.5 spinners is enough.

 

[nzfan]

Yes Ashwin is an amazing bowler and in particular to left handers but doesn't mean our guys can't play him. Kanpur generally starts flat and then goes on to turn (rather slowish turn/up and down bounce given the gray clay). Mumbai is red clay which will offer sharper turn and bounce. Our best chance is at Kanpur, the not so green park.

The good thing is we have good scattering of left/right all the way through. We need one or two guys to get struck in. Kane and Ross obviously are my picks. Latham and Nicholls will do all right, they are good players of spin. Even Blundell and Ravindra from what I have seen on the domestic scene are quite good against spin. In fact Ravindra made his first class debut for NZ A vs Pak A in UAE and if memory serves right Young and him were the stand outs with the bat in that series.

Whatever team we put in for the first test, I don't think anyone should have issues. This is the best lot we have got and likely best chance with most of the stalwarts from India missing. India not having Rohit, Kohli, KL, Shami, Bumrah evens it out a little. 75:25 to India still but given the experience of our line up and having played in India few times before we could make it a bit more even contest.

 

[TheBrand]

I'm going:

Latham
Young
KW
Ross
Nicholls
Phillips/Ravindra
Blundell
Jamieson
Somerville
Wagner
Ajaz