In-form India eye 1 & 2
Kohli and Co look for No 1 ranking and 2nd win against Kiwis
In the middle of a 12-match unbeaten streak at home, India's marauding cricket team will be aiming to reclaim the No.1 spot in ICC rankings when it takes on an unsettled New Zealand in the second Test starting here today.
With 10 wins and two draws in their last 12 matches, India have been unstoppable on home turf in a journey that began with the 1-2 series loss against England in December 2012. They have begun a packed 13-Test home calendar by inflicting a massive 197-run defeat over the visiting Black Caps in their 500th Test.
Having entered the threematch series one lower than Pakistan, India will also look to reclaim the number one rankings in the ICC Test rankings with a victory at the Eden Test. India did not put a foot wrong at the Green Park stadium even as Kohli's bold move to go with a four-strong bowling attack surprised many.
The two Indian spinners -Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja -- got fine support from the deteriorating Green Park wicket and they both accounted for 16 wickets.
The spin-mantra to get success at home has not changed even with the new set up under coach Anil Kumble and Kohli. It will be no different at the Eden track, though the team think tank seems to be wary of the relaid wicket which will be used for the first time. That means Kohli cannot afford to go with four bowlers on the Eden track which promises to offer spin only after a bit of wear and tear and leg-spinner Amit Mishra would certainly fancy his chances.
That India's ace spinner Ashwin has a niggle -- corn or thickened skin -- on the middle finger of his bowling hand can be a worry for Kohli.
"I have a corn on my finger and I haven't bowled a lot in the last 25 days," Ashwin had said after the third day in Kanpur. The 30-year-old off-spinner, playing just his 37th match, finished with match figures of 10-225, his fifth 10wicket haul and joined the 200club of Test wickets.
Ashwin, in fact stayed away from bowling at the nets and was seen chatting with the coach before trying out his hand briefly at batting.
India have recalled veteran left-handed opener Gautam Gambhir who last played a Test in August 2014, during the
tour to England but it remains to be seen whether the 34-yearold will make his way into the XI at his IPL home-ground.
India also have Rohit Sharma back among runs in the second innings something that will put them in right frame of mind especially at his favourite venue where he had scored an ODI world record of 264.
As for New Zealand, the visitors are set for a change in plan as far as their spin attack is concerned with veteran Jeetan Patel called in to replace injured off-spinner Mark Craig in their must-win Test.
Patel arrived earlier this morning from England where he was the leading wicket-taker in the County Championships, with 69 scalps for Warwickshire. The 36-year-old is likely to partner the impressive left-arm orthodox spinner Mitchell Santner and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi.
Santner was the biggest positive for New Zealand in the Kanpur Test and impressed with both bat and ball. He scored 32 and 71 apart from his bowling figures of 3/94 and 2/79 to become the first New Zealander after Daniel Vettori to score more than 100 and take at least five wickets.
But Martin Guptill -- who scored a 21 and 0 -- remains a worry for the visitors.
Lastly both teams will keep their fingers crossed with the conditions overcast and muggy as the relaid Eden Gardens outfield may be tested should there be rain. -PTI