IND vs NZ 1st Test: 5 takeaways from Kanpur Test: With the Kanpur Test done and dusted, the focus now shifts towards the 2nd Test between India and New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium that begins on December 03. While there were a couple of positives in the likes of debutant Shreyas Iyer, R Ashwin & R Jadeja the form of stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane & vice-captain Cheteshwar Pujara continues to be a big worry for team India. Follow InsideSport.in for more updates.
IND vs NZ 1st Test: 5 takeaways from Kanpur Test as team India shifts focus towards 2nd Test at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Here at Insidesport.in, we look at 5 takeaways from the 1st Test at Kanpur-
Rahul Dravid’s Test debut as coach – The Kanpur Test marked the beginning of Rahul Dravid’s stint as head coach in Test cricket. While the legendary batsman helped new-faced Rohit Sharma-led India to shrug off T20 World Cup 2021 disappointment with a 3-0 clean sweep of Kiwis in the T20 series, Dravid would be a little disappointed with the result of the 1st Test.
However, it will be interesting to watch Dravid’s coaching stint in the 2nd Test at Wankhede Stadium when the regular skipper Virat Kohli will return to lead the side. With both – Dravid & Kohli – prioritizing Test cricket, team India will be hoping to gain new heights in the longer format.
Shreyas Iyer’s fabulous debut – Shreyas Iyer has emerged as a perfect option in the middle order which looks a little weak especially after Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara’s poor run of form lately.
Iyer became the first Indian to hit a century and a fifty on Test debut and poses a great threat to India’s test specialist middle-order batter – Rahane & Pujara. With 170 runs in 2 innings, Iyer finished as the leading run-getter in the Kanpur Test and was eventually adjudged ‘Player of the Match’.
A dream start to his Test career and @ShreyasIyer15 is named the Player of the Match.✨@Paytm #TeamIndia #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/BHbHwUz6b9
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 29, 2021
Ravindra Jadeja’s fine form at home: Ravindra Jadeja continued his fine form at home in Test cricket. Jadeja slammed his 17th Test fifty in the 1st innings and chipped in with 5 wickets.
Jadeja has been in terrific touch with the bat in home Tests. In the last 10 innings at home since 2018, he has scored 454 runs at an average of 75.7, including 4 fifties and 1 hundred.
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Replacement for Rahane/Pujara: India’s Test specialist – Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara’s dismal run of form continues to be a headache for the team management.
In the absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma & KL Rahul, the duo was looked up as the pillar of the Indian batting lineup but failed to perform up to the expectations in the Kanpur Test. While Pujara managed 48 runs in 2 innings, Rahane contributed with 39 runs in 2 innings.
Cheteshwar Pujara last scored a century against Australia in Sydney while Rahane’s lean patch stretches back to his fine century in the boxing day Test at Melbourne in December 2020.
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Ishant Sharma’s off-colour run: Team India’s ace pacer in Test cricket Ishant Sharma too has been off-colour lately. The lanky pacer from Delhi has remained wicketless in his last two Test outings. Sharma was wicketless in India’s 3 Test against England in Headingley and failed to provide any breakthrough in the Kanpur Test.
While New Zealand pacers Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson picked 8 and 6 wickets respectively, Ishant Sharma failed to trouble Kiwi batters and lacked penetration.
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IND vs NZ 1st Test: 5 takeaways from Kanpur Test as team India shifts focus towards 2nd Test at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
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