World Test Championship: New Zealand Make it Tougher for India
New Zealand have become the top-ranked Test team for the first time in history. They achieved the feat after beating West Indies 2-0 in a home series on Monday. In the second match of the series in Wellington, New Zealand won by an innings and 12 runs after imposing the follow-on.
Contents
Back to Back Innings Wins
In the previous match in Hamilton in the first week of December, New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first. They posted an imposing 519 for seven declared on the back of skipper Kane Williamson’s 251. In reply, West Indies were bowled out for 138. Following on, they managed to score only 247 runs in the second innings, enabling New Zealand to win by an innings and 134 runs.
In Wellington on 11 December, New Zealand won the toss and scored 460 in their first knock. Batting at number five, Henry Nicholls scored 174 to rescue New Zealand from a precarious position of 203/5. West Indies were bowled out 131 before New Zealand imposed the follow-on. Although West Indies did much better in the second innings, they could not score more than 317, allowing New Zealand to register back-to-back innings victories.
As a result of the new method of tabulating points, Australia have risen to the top of the table, though they have fewer points than India who were the table leaders before the new method became operational. Australia have a higher percentage of points, 82.2%, than India who have 75%. Currently, New Zealand are third-placed with 62.5%.
India Need five Wins in Eight Matches
India are currently on tour in Australia to play in a four-match Test series scheduled to begin in Adelaide on 17 December. In February and March 2021, India will play a home series of four Test matches against England. New Zealand have an upcoming series of two Test matches at home against Pakistan. New Zealand are expected to win both their matches against Pakistan. Were they to beat Pakistan 2-0, they would finish with 460 points or 71.88% of possible points.
That would leave India needing to win at least five of the remaining eight matches in the Test championship. Australia are expected to beat India while India are expected to beat England. India’s best hope of getting ahead of New Zealand on the Test championship table would be to register a 4-0 clean sweep against England and win at least one match against Australia. With Virat Kohli available only for the first Test, India’s best chance would be in Adelaide against Australia without Warner in the opening slot.
Many ex-players including a former captain have been tapped by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to step into head coach Mickey Arthur’s shoes when he leaves the Sri Lankan squad to begin his coaching assignment with English county side Derbyshire in December. According to a report in a Sri Lankan national daily, SLC has approached Mahela […]
With the Ashes barely three weeks away, Tim Paine has decided to give up the captaincy following findings that explicit messages were sent by him to a female co-worker. The findings were the result of an investigation launched four years ago by Cricket Australia, according to a media report. Paine Calls Decision to Resign “Incredibly […]
The Indian squad for the two-Test series versus New Zealand scheduled to start later this month has been announced by the selectors. Ajinkya Rahane will lead the team in the first Test. The team will be led in the second Test by Virat Kohli after he rejoins the squad. Cheteshwar Pujara has been named vice-captain […]
Australia’s Test match that was to be played in late November in Hobart versus Afghanistan has been postponed. Cricket Australia took the decision in response to the stance taken by the Taliban government in Afghanistan not to allow women to play sport. However, CA is hopeful of playing the Test in the future. Postpone Inevitable […]
The Netherlands will tour South Africa for a three-match ODI series from November 26 to December 1 before India’s visit for a full series of Tests, T20Is, and ODIs beginning on December 17. India’s tour of South Africa will kick off with a three-Test series which will form part of the 2021-23 cycle of the […]
Here is our England vs India Dream11 Prediction for the 5th test of the five-match series on the India Tour of England cricket 2021, that will be played at Old Trafford, from September 10, 2021. Team England Report Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Malan, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ollie Pope, Moeen Ali, Overton, Woakes, Ollie Robinson, […]