India vs New Zealand: Third Test Showdown in Mumbai
As India prepares for the third Test match against New Zealand at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, head coach Gautam Gambhir remains optimistic about his team’s skills against spin. Despite being 0-2 down in the series, India aims to avoid a whitewash after their first home series loss in 12 years.
Gambhir’s Confidence
Gambhir praised New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner for his performance in the Pune Test and emphasized the importance of results in international cricket. He stated, “Sometimes you’ve got to give it to the opposition as well. I think Mitchell Santner was outstanding in the last game, but yes, we’ll keep working hard. We’ll keep getting better.”
Series Highlights
Mitchell Santner has been a standout performer, taking 13 wickets at an average of 12.08, including two five-wicket hauls. In the second Test, New Zealand’s Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra scored half-centuries, while Washington Sundar’s 7/59 helped India restrict New Zealand to 259. However, India struggled in their first innings, scoring only 156, with Santner taking 7/53. Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 77 in the second innings, India lost by 114 runs, with New Zealand winning the series 2-0.
India’s Squad
The Indian squad for the third Test includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Dhruv Jurel, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, and KL Rahul.
Doubts Revealed
Gautam Gambhir -: Gautam Gambhir is a former Indian cricketer who is now the head coach of the Indian cricket team. He was a famous batsman and played many important matches for India.
Third Test -: A Test match is a type of cricket game that lasts up to five days. The ‘Third Test’ means it is the third game in a series of matches between two teams.
Mumbai -: Mumbai is a big city in India, known for its cricket stadiums and being the home of the Bollywood film industry. It is located on the west coast of India.
Whitewash -: In sports, a ‘whitewash’ means one team wins all the games in a series, leaving the other team with no wins. India is trying to avoid this by winning the third Test.
Mitchell Santner -: Mitchell Santner is a cricketer from New Zealand. He is known for his skills in bowling, especially spin bowling, which is a type of bowling in cricket.
Spin -: Spin is a type of bowling in cricket where the ball is made to turn or spin when it hits the ground, making it difficult for the batsman to hit.