by Shreyas S. Bhide
One side are the champions in this format, while the other side is on a reloading journey. India’s new spirited run towards the top started with the T20 World Cup held in South Africa in September 2007, while the Kiwis’ decline started around the same time.
The Indian team, just out of the rut called the Caribbean World Cup (2007), where they faced an embarrassing first round exit, entered the most exciting phase of their cricketing history, when under the leadership of MS Dhoni, they won the inaugural T20 world cup, sans big names (viz. Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid). Dhoni , then took over the leadership of team India in limited overs format and changed the face of Indian cricket. Later, he took over from Anil Kumble to lead the team in test matches and showed success there too. The journey to the top that started with the T20 World Cup may have its culmination in New Zealand - either positively or negatively.
New Zealand , on the other hand, had entered the inaugural T20 world cup, as a promising side, but failed to impress. To add to their woes, Stephen Fleming announced early retirement, and they lost a chunk of their players to ICL. Limited playing around the world and financial difficulties, have turned New Zealand into a cricketing setup that desperately requires a rejuvenating power. India’s tour of New Zealand could act as just that kick of adrenaline the nation desperately needs.
To start with, India play the Kiwis in two T20 internationals, a format that they have stamped their expertise on. Except one match each to New Zealand and Australia, India have won all their matches convincingly. The format has helped many players in India emerge as stars - Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir to name a few. New Zealand on the other hand have a mediocre T20 record. Though, the only respite is that they have defeated India in their only encounter earlier, in South Africa. The Indian team though, will not be giving any let-ups. They will go all out to start the series with a bang, at venues where they have traditinally being poor performers. Five of the six Indians to have played in New Zealand only tally 11 Tests here. The sixth, Sachin Tendulkar, has played eight, and scored only one century. Of the 72 Tests that Dravid has played abroad, only four have come in New Zealand.
It is this paucity of New Zealand tours that makes it such a test for India. Just one series victory (3-1 in 1967-68) and a solitary Test win is what India can boast of, but MS Dhoni does not have time for this kind of history, neither does he have a fear of the immediate future. His only mantra to his boys is : Adapt, assess and fire. Morever, this is about T20 and India hold two contradictions here — they have never played T20 in New Zealand, and have lost their only encounter against them in South Africa. On the other hand, India will start as overwhelming favorites, and their chances in both the T20’s, are helped hugely by the penetrative fast bowling pair of Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan. Add to it the firepower that Munaf and Balaji bring, its probably the most potent Indian bowling attack to tour the KiwiLand.
The only glitch may be that most of the young players haven’t toured New Zealand before, but Dhoni and his boys should look at this tour as an opportunity for the young cricketers to learn more about their own game.
The Black Caps’ on the other hand, are the underdogs, but a strong opposition nevertheless. New Zealand are presently a young side, with Vettori and McCullum as their the mainstay. They have a few experienced players, but not the depth. They are very reliant on the group that they have got. They have a new coach and a new support staff.
Ultimately, its a contest between an Indian team promising a lot and a New Zealand team that knows their home conditions well, a side who don’t have the best quality possible but are fully capable of drawing the opposition to their level. The one who wins here, may well carry forward the positive morale into the ODI’s and Test matches.
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