Kiwi Curry?

By Gaurang
October 29 2010

Unlike recent home series against Sri Lanka, South Africa and Australia, India's ranking as No. 1 in Test cricket, is not even remotely going to be challenged by the lowly Kiwis, currently ranked No. 8 in Tests. But maybe other challenges, such as a 3-0 Sweep, Sachin Tendulkar's 50th Test century or a possible triple century by Sehwag will keep some spectators tuned in.

The Kiwi is a flightless bird of drab plumage, and as a symbol of the New Zealand cricket team, it fits perfectly. Now don't get me wrong, as a group of young men, the Kiwis are as personable and even "sexy" a bunch as any cricket team, it is just that their brand of cricket is about as exciting as John Wright's batting used to be.

After the recent drubbing the Kiwis received at the hands of lowly Bangladesh, the only Test team worse than them, in the just concluded ODI series, one shudders to think what fate awaits them in India, especially now that the Indian team is back to full strength with the return of Gautam Gambhir, VVS Laxman, and Ishant Sharma.

However, the Kiwis can take heart from three interesting phenomenon. First, is that ODI cricket is not Test cricket, and they have been bolstered by the presence of half a dozen players who were off doing A team duties, during the ODI series in Bangladesh. At least a couple of those players should have been in the senior team. Second, India as a team is notoriously poor at being ruthless. They often play to the level of their opponents, and exhibit signs of complacency. Third, the Kiwi team in Daniel Vettori, Jeetan Patel and rookie Kane Williamson have a spin trio that blends the skills of slow left arm spin and off spin, two varities that in the past, think Ray Price, Ashley Giles, Shaun Udal, Jason Krezja have troubled Indian batsmen.

Nevertheless on paper this is a total mismatch as the No. 1 Test team take on the No. 8 team. It seems partcularly odd that the BCCI would arrange to play 3 Tests and 5 ODIs against such opposition, but restrict the Australia series to just 2 Tests and what turned out to be a single ODI.

But because the Kiwis don't play in India often, the last time being in 2003, and the fact that the team has many new faces, including the Williamson, right arm pacers Tim Southee and Hamish Bennett, plus attacking batsmen like Brendon McCullum and the oversized Jesse Ryder, scorer of a century and a double century against India, albeit in New Zealand, makes this team interesting to watch.

From the Indian side the interest will be more in terms of records. Sachin Tendulkar reaching his half century of Test centuries, being the most likely. Others more in the the wish list category would be a triple century from Sehwag, preferably extended to a quardruple to simultaneously break both Bradman and Lara's records respectively.

But realistically what Indian fans will be expecting is a 3-0 clean sweep, especially after the team swept aside Australia 2-0 just weeks ago, even with several key players missing. New Zealand on the other hand will be hoping for a couple of shirt front wickets to allow it to hang on to at least one drawn Test, and optimistically a drawn series, like it managed last time it toured India.