New Zealand v India, 2nd Test, Wellington

After an exciting first test, the venue now shifts to Wellington for the 2nd test.
India would want to arrest the losing streak away from home. It now stands at 10 out of the last 11. 2 of the last 3 tests India played were classics, but they failed to come out at the right end despite doing some special things, like setting the world number 1 side a target over 450 and then bowling New Zealand out for 105. They would really want to correct that here.
As for New Zealand, this summer has been a good one. The won the test series against the West Indies, nearly whitewashed India in the ODI series, and won the first test as well. They would want to cap the summer with a big moment.
New Zealand will be without their best batsman for this crucial game. Ross Taylor is out on paternity leave, and that gives exciting prospect Tom Latham an opportunity. They are also set to give all-rounder James Neesham an outing on a pitch hat is expected to assist the seamers with spinner Ish Sodhi giving way. That means Kane Williamson has to play the led spinner role besides being the best batsman in Taylor's absence.
Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma, all produced good individual performances in the last test. As such it is unlikely that India would change anything around.

Yeah India will go unchanged.......i hope they can bat first...because India's batting really is all about confidence and application and not so much conditons.

and they are likely to do well with Jadeja in the side if they can set even 300 for NZ in the 4th inning.

Isha Sodhi as I noted extensively......is useless as a bowler and fielder and not a great lower order batter also....and Williamson cannot do worse........so another batsman or a seam bowling allrounder would be very good for NZ.

A feast of cricket today indeed.

If India had taken their chances in NZ's 1st innings, things would have been so different. BM also not making India follow-on had a huge bearing on the game.

Kohli not turning his 60 and 70 into centuries or one at least surprised me. Pujara with a rare poor game. Sharma with his wkt haul and Dhawan with his century gained some breathing space for themselves.

Hopefully another classic.

A bit like the cheese and biscuits after the main course 

But still enjoyable.

yet again staying up for this game, should be a cracker!

I love watching India get beaten - come on you Kiwis!

CF wrote:yet again staying up for this game, should be a cracker!

Same here 10pm GMT. Just love Test match cricket.

New Zealand, by including Neesham in place of Sodhi, have strengthened their batting besides adding another seamer to the mix on a green top. Last time when a test was played at Wellington, there was just the one wicket for Sodhi, the rest of them were shared around by the seamers.

Who will replace the party boy Ryder?  Hiow many lessons does this man have to learn. Jeez, he nearly lost his life!  A George Best type.

Ryder didnt play the 1st test, so dosent need replacing..

CF wrote:Ryder didnt play the 1st test, so dosent need replacing..

Quite right CF, i meant from the squad  

Latham in for Taylor and Neesham for Sodhi. As Ryder and Bracewell didn't play the last game, no need to replace them in the playing side. Ryder would have come into the playing side had he behaved himself as Taylor has to be away.

Did that work  

Latham's inclusion means a bit of additional pressure on Rutherford and Fulton. Latham has been opening in First Class games of late, and if he manages a good game and if Rutherford and Fulton can't find form, Latham can move up the order when Taylor comes back in.

Rutherford started off well in international cricket, however has faded away badly, and needs to go back to domestic cricket and find form...fulton has never been good enough for international cricket!

Latham/Guptill/Ryder would be putting pressure on the 2 openers. Ryder's head is messing with him yet again, so the focus has to be on the other 2. Guptill, despite his good FC and ODI record, has wasted his chances at the test level. Latham is not tried and tested. So replacing Rutherford and Fulton are easier said than done.

Ryder is a limited overs cricketer, he hasnt got the patience or the drive to play test cricket IMO

India won the toss and will bowl. Dhoni has won every toss in this tour so far. But that's all he has managed to win till now and he would hope his fortunes finally changes here.
New Zealand
Fulton
Rutherford
Williamson
Latham
McCullum
Anderson
Watling
Neesham
Southee
Wagner
Boult.
India.
Dhawan
Vijay
Pujara
Kohli
Rohit Sharma
Rahane
Dhoni
Jadeja
Zaheer
Ishant Sharma
Shami.

NZ seen out the first half hour

Umm there seems to be an imposter in the Indian team. This isn't Ishant Sharma surely?!

England must be delighted, Ishant's booked his place for 5 Tests...

Bad luck guys looks like Ishant will be keeping his place for another 5 years   

Having been put in to bat, New Zealand were bowled out for 192 in their first innings. Kane Williamson, caught twice of no-balls on 15 and 23, of Zaheer and Sharma respectively, went on to top score with 47. Jimmy Neesham made 33 and Tim Southee bashed 32.
For India, Ishant Sharma took 6-51, his career best, and Mohammed Shami took the 4 remaining wickets.
Ishant bowled well, often getting good bounce, and moved the ball as well. He even touched 140 KPH at times!. There have been far too many false starts and what seemed like turn around moments in his career that all that the Indian supporter can do is to applaud a good performance and not even think about the future, strictly live in the present.
Shami was good, his evolution so far in his young test career has been promising. He was a bit indifferent with the new ball but better later on. Zaheer bowled OK, he bowled an intense spell after lunch where the pace was consistently up in the late 130s. But that no-ball in the over before lunch denied him Williamson's wicket, and though he didn't bowl badly at all, he couldn't get the wicket. He was also doing his job of entoring his younger seam bowling partners, when Shami went for a couple of boundaries after lunch, Zaheer was there to hold the hand.

India reached 100-2 by stumps. Shikhar Dhaawan, deriving confidence from his 4th innings ton last week, will resume on 71 after having played a measured innings. He took his time early on, didn't try to take on every short ball that came his way, and capitalized on scoring opportunities ones he was set. He will have to start all over again tomorrow though. Murali Vijay was out to a fine delivery from Southee. The ball was wide outside off, Vijay decided to leave, but to his horrer it came in a mile, kissed his gloves and went through to the keeper. There is not much he could have done about it really. Cheteshwar Pujara was also his usual unflappable self and looked good and assured throughout his stay at the wicket. Then Trent Boult got one to swing in very late, the ball went through Pujara's defense and pinned him plumb LBW. So both the wickets went down to good balls. Ishant Sharma came out and did the nightwatchman job well.
The ball is some 25 overs old. But in the morning , the wicket will be fresh, and the ball was moving throughout the first session today and even after lunch, there was life in the track for the seamers. So the Indian batsmen will have to apply themselves very well, and hope that some luck will go their way as well, because on this track, you will get some very good balls for sure they have to hope those won't be too good for them.

An excellent day for India ...mainly thanks to the New Superstar   

Jokes aside he seems to be in a bit of a purple patch at the moment - and apparently his talents extend to night watchman duties as well !
Confidence can do a lot for a player ...let us see how he can keep it going.

Ishants having a fantastic couple of tests....he looks a completely different bowler, when he manages to get his wrist behind the ball at point of delivery!!

well bowled Ishant!

Inspite of his 6 wickets, I personally does not find him a part of Indian future. His place for me is a burden to the team.

msp83 wrote:
Ishant bowled well, often getting good bounce, and moved the ball as well. He  even touched 140 KPH at times!. There have been far too many false starts and what seemed like turn around moments in his career that all that the Indian supporter can do is to applaud a good performance and not even think about the future, strictly live in the present.

That's all you can do.

I would rather have him in my team than Dernbach.

India move into the lead with 5 wickets down.

Resuming at 100-2, nightwatchman Ishant Sharma stayed with Shikhar Dhawan for 45 minutes, faced over 50 balls scored 26 very important runs with a couple of fine shots in putting together a half-century partnership with the opener. Then Boult got him to edge behind for BJ Watling to take a good catch. Dhawan, who looked comfortable throughout his stay today then nicked one through to the keeper of Southee to fall 2 runs short of his 2nd consecutive hundred. Rohit Sharma failed again, playing on for a duck of his 3rd ball, to give debutant Jimmy Neesham his first test wicket. That makes it 6 out of 7 failures for Sharma in overseas tests.
In walked Ajinkya Rahane to join Virat Kohli. Rahane started confidently and they took India into the lead by lunch. After lunch, the New Zealand bowlers adopted a wideish outside off line to the 2 Indian batsmen, and after resisting for some time, Virat Kohli went for one wide outside off and found the short cover fielder for 38 as Niel Wagner found himself on the board.
The Indian captain, with murmurs on his overseas record getting louder walked in to join Rahane, with India not having the lead anywhere near safe. Dhoni's defensive game, particularly overseas isn't sound, and this time there was no attempt to adopt a defensive approach, he played to his strength, smashed Wagner for 4 boundaries to get going. Dhoni continued to play with the right mix of attack and withdrawal, (couldn't call it defense exactly) and brought up an important half-century. He picked up a bit of trouble with his rist in between, and after being reprieved on 50 when Tim Southee misjudged a return catch opportunity, Dhoni eventually gloved a short ball from Boult to go for 68, after putting together 120 crucial runs with Rahane.
Rahane continued to play some very pleasing, fabulous shots, and Ravindra Jadeja came out swinging to join him. Jadeja put 6 of the 15 balls he faced into the boundary and then edged Wagner to slip to go for 26. Zaheer Khan played as sensibly as he could for the first few balls in his innings and saw Rahane through to an outstanding hundred. Then he edged Wagner to slip but the ball was ruled a no-ball on a third umpire check and Zaheer, who had similarly reprieved Kane Williamson on 15 got a 2nd life. There after he proceeded to back away and swish at every ball that came his way, and the clownish approach paid off for a while as he made 22 at better than a run-a-ball. Rahane was out to an outstanding catch from Trent Bounlt for 118 and India ended their first innings 246 ahead of New Zealand at 438.
Zaheer then trapped Peter Fulton LBW in his very first over as the out of sorts NZ opener left one alone only for the ball to come in and hit him in front. Rutherford and Williamson took them to stumps without further damage and they ended the day at 24-1.

It was Rahane's first test hundred. in fact his first in international cricket. He has looked far more assured than Rohit Sharma in these overseas tests.

the diffrence between Rahane and Rohit in overseas conditons is as much as between Kambli and Tendulakr

well batted Ajinkya Rahane! Class effort

KP_fan wrote:the diffrence between Rahane and Rohit in overseas conditons is as much as between Kambli and Tendulakr

Yet, KPF, will you be surprised if Sharma plays and Rahane sits out when they play the 3rd spinner in spinning conditions. I would be horrified if that happens, but I won't be surprised.

NZ 100 odd for 5 now.....let's hope we can seal this one

Zaheer delivers this morning...if fitness remains intact he should always play......he can go about 2 to 3 tests at a stretch and then needs rest.

The one who should not be in the 11 or even 15 is Ishant.......inspite of the wickets he has picked in the last two games....the number of chances he got is not fair....with the same invetment others( like Yadav and Aaron) might have delivered a lot more.

To India and Dhoni's credit they have improved very fast given the lack of practice games they have on foreign tours compared to a side like Eng that has such an elaborate acclimatization program.

Batsmen have delivered most and Dhoni the last one to figure out how to use seamers.

With the ghost of match fixing looming large over the head of Dhoni let's hope nothing serious comes out.
Actually it will depend on Srinivasan's survial and Supreme court's verdict on 7th March

KP_fan wrote:NZ 100 odd for 5 now.....let's hope we can seal this one

Zaheer delivers this morning...if fitness remains intact he should always play......he can go about 2 to 3 tests at a stretch and then needs rest.

The one who should not be in the 11 or even 15 is Ishant.......inspite of the wickets he has picked in the last two games....the number of chances he got is not fair....with the same invetment others( like Yadav and Aaron) might have delivered a lot more.

To India and Dhoni's credit they have improved very fast given the lack of practice games they have on foreign tours compared to a side like Eng that has such an elaborate acclimatization program.

Batsmen have delivered most and Dhoni the last one to figure out how to use seamers.

With the ghost of match fixing looming large over the head of Dhoni let's hope nothing serious comes out.
Actually it will depend on Srinivasan's survial and Supreme court's verdict on 7th March

KP fan ? I did read your link to Dhonis name being somehow implicated in the scandal but thought it was just a small press thing because no big issue has been made of it elsewhere.

Is it really looking serious?

KP fan ? I did read your link to Dhonis name being somehow implicated in the scandal but thought it was just a small press thing because no big issue has been made of it elsewhere.

Is it really looking serious?

there are 3 issues:

1) srinivasan's son has been found to be involved in fixing CSK games openly by the supreme court appointed committee.

2) and a couple of current Indian players have been reported by the committee as being found possibly involved when doing the investigation

3) Srinivasan's role has been observed by the committee having a huge conflict of interests as a team owner and BCCI head.

item 1) is almost proven
item 2) is most likely gonna be ordered for a full legal inquiry.....and from the current team the suspicion ( or leaked names reported ) are Dhoni and Raina.
items 3) is the tricky one...no one knows whether Supreme court will take a step to address Srinivasan's conflicting positions.

Supreme court will on 7th March announce further actions on all 3 issues...

msp83 wrote:

KP_fan wrote:the diffrence between Rahane and Rohit in overseas conditons is as much as between Kambli and Tendulakr

Yet, KPF, will you be surprised if Sharma plays and Rahane sits out when they play the 3rd spinner in spinning conditions. I would be horrified if that happens, but I won't be surprised.

Rahane should move to No. 5 in the next test

KP_fan wrote:

KP fan ? I did read your link to Dhonis name being somehow implicated in the scandal but thought it was just a small press thing because no big issue has been made of it elsewhere.

Is it really looking serious?

there are 3 issues:

1) srinivasan's son has been  found to be involved in fixing CSK games openly by the supreme court appointed committee.

2) and a couple of current Indian players have been  reported by the committee as being found possibly involved when doing the investigation

3) Srinivasan's role has been observed by the committee having a huge conflict of interests as a team owner and BCCI head.

item 1) is almost proven
item 2) is most likely  gonna be ordered for a full legal inquiry.....and from the current team the suspicion ( or leaked names reported ) are Dhoni and Raina.
items 3) is the tricky one...no one knows whether Supreme court will take a step to address Srinivasan's conflicting positions.

Supreme court will on 7th March announce further actions on all 3 issues...

So Srinivasan looks like he will get the boot because of his son scandal, but being an IPL owner and BCCI owner was old news i thought. But looks like it has come back again.

No2. Is one of those names a certain Dhoni, or refering to the Sreesanth case again.

7th March TY. I will stay tuned.

officially the named suspects are in a sealed envelope handed to supreme court by the commitee.......
leaks & and commonsense is suggesting names of dhoni and raina.

Meanwhile McCullum gets dropped again

Sorry, just seen it, Dhoni and Raina. Jeez.

KP_fan wrote:officially the named suspects are in a sealed envelope handed to supreme court by the commitee.......
leaks & and commonsense is suggesting names of dhoni and raina.

Meanwhile McCullum gets dropped again

  Only a matter of time before India wrap it up for their 1st away win for a while.

Hmm...3 hours since the last wicket fell....dhoni back to his old habit of going off to sleep....as match slips awy from India

Though a police officer is reported to have come across a booky who said that Gurunath was trying to fix CSK games and that they are in touch with Dhoni and Raina. But interestingly, the said officer himself was booked for collecting paiments from the bookies, and there is no record of the statement of the said booky, and the said officer was not in the team to question the said booky. As such, proof against Dhoni and Raina will have to come from elsewhere.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Tamil-Nadu-cop-who-spilled-the-beans-on-IPL-probe-faces-arrest/articleshow/30423568.cms

This really has been a remarkable fightback so far by Watling and McCullum, if they can just give the bowlers 150/200 to bowl at NZ have a chance.

If India could catch, they'd have already won this series 2-0. 

It's a sad state of affairs when someone incredibly ordinary, Brendon McCullum, is staring down the barrel of a third Test double hundred(possibly all against India). 

But by India's standards letting crap players flog runs easily is in their DNA...

Still can't see India blowing it, surely!

India have not won an away Test match in 13. It would nearly be a miracle if it went to 14.

BM on 153 - Watling 76 -222 partnership. Lead of 70.

India look tired.

skyeman wrote:Still can't see India blowing it, surely!

India have not won an away Test match in 13. It would nearly be a miracle if it went to 14.

BM on 153 - Watling 76 -222 partnership. Lead of 70.

India look tired.

Might knock some of the smugness of Kohli's face.

After all he dropped a dolly. And he's often got plenty to say.

95 runs in that session for NZ, lead is upto 101 at lunch.

If the tail wags India could be chasing over 200 here, still huge favourites, but a tricky total.

Of course the longer McCullum and Watling keep going, the better this game gets. If they can keep this partnership until about 150-175 runs ahead, then it gets very interesting indeed.