India won cricket matches against New Zealand, but the challenge abroad is different
India’s aura of domineering cricket, especially in its backyard, was reiterated at the conclusion of the Test series involving New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. A thumping 372-run victory in the second Test gave Virat Kohli’s men 1-0. helped win the series, This climax emerged when New Zealand mounted a provocative resistance in Ajinkya Rahane’s opening draw in Kanpur led india Kohli’s absence, The Indian blueprint at home – walks on the board and slick spinners on the mark – was in vogue and there was nothing the Black Caps could do, especially after regular skipper Kane Williamson missed the final Test with an injury. The latest winning outing in the longest format was India’s 14th consecutive Test series win at home since December 2012, when the England team rode on Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar to attack the hosts. Since that stumble, India have been unbeaten at home. The batsmen are clearly feeling at home, seamers are adept at swing – both conventional and reverse – and the spinners, headlined by a remarkable R Ashwin, have contributed to nurturing India’s dark halo in a familiar environment. Perhaps two decades ago there was a presentation by former Australian captain Steve Waugh to refer to India as the Final Frontier. And as revealed from the last fortnight, the fort remains intact.
Great performance in Mumbai and Earlier in Twenty20 International, he had made a 3-0 sweep against the same opponent., also helped new coach Rahul Dravid set off on a winning note. But as Dravid pointed out, New Zealand competed hard at different points, especially in Kanpur. Even though the unit was overwhelmed in the latter’s struggle, following in the footsteps of Jim Laker and Anil Kumble, left-arm spinner Ejaz Patel’s perfect ten in the first innings was a stellar feat. The excellence of the Mumbai-born New Zealand-immigrant reflected the growing sporting clout on the shores of the Indian diaspora. It was the return of the prodigal, but with a twist. And as the pandemic rages on as India looks ahead at an impending tour of South Africa, it’s not necessarily a perfect slate. A series can be won despite the absence of Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, and the excellence of Ashwin, Shreyas Iyer, Mayank Agarwal and Axar Patel augurs well. Still, poor yields from Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and even Kohli on their high standards are a cause for concern. Having won a stellar career against poor form, Dravid understands the challenges his core group is grappling with. A change is needed as a sign of an important overseas tour.
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