They might be brave, they might be exciting, but New Zealand have a real challenge on their hands.
Believe it or not, many teams consider a tour of India one of the toughest on the cricket circuit. Australian former captain Steve Waugh memorably called it “The Final Frontier”. And in recent years, India have been showcasing their unparalleled domination at home. In 2015, South Africa, then the top-ranked team in Test cricket, were hammered 0-3, completely blown away by India’s spinners who exploited the turn and bounce on offer.
This time, more than the pitches, it is the Indian team led by the talismanic Virat Kohli who will provide a stern challenge to Kane Williamson’s men. India have been in great form in Tests recently, winning away against Sri Lanka, against South Africa at home, and, more recently, against West Indies in the Caribbean in August.
How do the opposing players stack up against one another? Three charts below provide a simple head-to-head comparison between the two teams on current form.
The batsmen are evenly matched
Ajinkya Rahane averages a phenomenal 156,66 in his last five Test matches with 470 runs, followed by Virat Kohli, who averages 63.83 with 200 runs. KL Rahul may have a lower average than Kohli but has scored more runs.
New Zealand, however, will not feel too inadequate. Their own Ross Taylor has been in brilliant form in his last five Tests, with an average of 100.5 while Kane Williamson and BJ Watling also have impressive averages.
However, the teams are united by the fact that they have laggards at the bottom. India will be hoping Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma finally come good, while Williamson will want the same from Henry Nicholls and Martin Guptill.
India has a better bowling record
This is one aspect where India definitely leads the Kiwis. India has three bowlers averaging below 30 in their last five Test matches, compared to New Zealand’s one. Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar also average in the mid-thirties.
Apart from Neil Wagner, the rest of the Kiwi bowlers will have to really up their game, going by their recent form.
India’s superiority is accentuated even more by the fact that their two spinning wreckers-in-chief, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, do not figure in this list as they have been considered all-rounders.
The Ashwin-Jadeja combo
By ranking, Ravichandran Ashwin is the best all-rounder in Test cricket at present. The statistics back that up. With a batting average of over 50 and a bowling average under 25, he has been the rock around which the team has pivoted.
Jimmy Neesham, who is making a comeback to the squad, has a similar average as Ravindra Jadeja's but Mitchell Santner's form has been very poor.
Ashwin and Jadeja's bowling records say it all. They have combined to take 50 wickets between them. In fact, Ravindra Jadeja's bowling average is positively Bradman-esque.
Neesham and Santner would do well to take Ashwin and Jadeja's example. Because going by the recent statistics, New Zealand will have to do something special to give India a challenge.