Reset, restart: India vs New Zealand is a rare mix of old and new in a strange 2021


Reset, restart: India vs New Zealand is a rare mix of old and new in a strange 2021

Virat Kohli will team up with Rahul Dravid in the India vs New Zealand Test series

This India vs New Zealand meeting is a unique cricket series in what has been a very strange 2021. This has been a truly unsettling year, in all regards. At one point, there was freedom finally. People stepping on the streets and some hint of normality. Only to quickly disintegrate into quiet, desolate sombre. Sport, only a microcosmic representation of society, involuntarily carried itself in the journey.

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Ahmedabad, decked up like a newly wed bride, laid out the red carpet to the religiously fervent Indian cricket fans as they returned to a sporting amphitheatre. Soon enough, the rechristened stadium – with welcoming capacity stretched to six digits – became as quiet as a value education examination being overseen by the principal of the educational institution.

Cricketing action on field followed a similar sine curve of high and low. The year began with a famous day in all of Indian sport courtesy of the young guns, unassumings and will never be seens. From the highest of high at Gabba, a forgettable low reminiscent of the debacle of 2007 followed in the UAE as India crash landed to the ground all too quickly. Two games and knockout.

Winds of change

Rohit Sharma R Ashwin
Ashwin shares a moment with the new T20 skipper for Team India

The IPL was not spared either. Two countries and several months separated the beginning and end of the tournament. It was as though they were two separate tournaments mashed into one. And before the second phase of the T20 tournament could begin, skipper Virat Kohli – not to be left too far behind in the drama of 2021 – entered and took centre stage like only he can.

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However, there was a slight difference. It was not your usual flambouyant willow wielding, century scoring, bat raising, reputation redefining Kohli. Not the Kohli that unsettles opposition bowlers, toys with their field and sends captains into soul searching. In fact, quite contrarily, the Kohli centre stage taking action was an announcement that he shall not be captain any longer. Neither of his franchise nor of his country – at least in T20 cricket.

Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli will aim to rediscover the form that has established him among the all time bests

And so, the India vs New Zealand series began a new era in Indian cricket. Not solely a new T20 captain, but a new coach to accompany him. One would say that the change was inevitable and due. Captaincy is a microcosm of a sporting career of any athlete. It comes with a shelf life and if not relinquished in time, is taken away resulting in bruised egos and hurt pride.

Soon after, rumours have started floating of a review in ODI cricket too. And no sooner has Kohli’s confederate, Ravi Shastri, left chair to Rahul Dravid, there seems to be a wind of change taking over the skies of Indian cricket. And pilot Kohli may soon have to assume a role outside the cockpit as Rohit Sharma may takeover flying another aeroplane into the runway of yet another ICC World Cup.

India – new and old coming together

Rohit Sharma Harshal Patel
Rohit Sharma and Harshal Patel celebrate in the new era of India’s T20 cricket

Indian cricket is in reset, restart mode currently. There is a lot of new happening across the board, leaving little breathing space for the old. Philosophies and personnel notwithstanding. The recently concluded T20 series was indicative of the future of Indian cricket.

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Rohit and Rahul’s India is looking towards more fearlessness and more breathing space for its fearless entities. There are opportunities being handed out as the international scene welcomed IPL heroes Venkatesh Iyer and Harshal Patel. There is talk of grooming cricketers and a hope that IPL franchises play along by handing out similar roles to the men who are in the Indian setup. All the best for that round of soft negotiations – especially with a particular franchise that likes to keep their cards close.

And in this new and new of Indian cricket, there is a little bit of old too. Rohit, two years senior to Kohli in age, may yet take over all limited overs leadership but the Test mantle rests firmly with the 70 time international centurion.

The red ball format team is still for Kohli to command over and therein will lie the most interesting few months for Indian cricket. Might one be reminded at this juncture that every Test match played matters in the grand scheme of things. There are no meaningless bilaterals in this format – not at least we scramble for what exactly meaningless means.

Virat Kohli Rahul Dravid
Kohli and Dravid will have to hit the ground running immediately

Each game counting towards an ICC trophy Kohli can still win as captain affords no bedding in period for the duo. It requires a midway path in mindsets be reached instantly. And history is witness to Kohli’s headstrong approach not always finding mates. This time, though, Kohli will be well aware of a status shift, if not power transfer in Indian cricket. This is no 2017 and a lack of consensus may not lead to a change in coach anymore.

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Thus, Kohli may have to change his philosophy slightly, as would anyone dealing with an internal leadership change. And this change may serve a man who has faced the lashing of damning rumours well. There have been reports of communication breakdown within the dressing room, leading to unhappy and insecure players.

Whether only a rumour or a partly true, such news breaking into media circles is an indictment of any leadership group. Dravid will be eager to quickly quash these rumours, especially given the fact that the now coach had himself led India through a difficult transition and tumultuous period during Greg Chappell’s reign. Hence, there is an interesting bond between absolute opposite characters waiting to happen with the Indian dressing room.

India vs New Zealand Test series – team news

Shubman Gill Mayank Agarwal
Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal will open the batting in the absence of Rohit and Rahul

That bonding would, however, have to wait a few extra days. Still Test captain Virat Kohli is going to be missing from the first Test match to be played in Green Park. He will return for the second Test match though and slot back in at number 4.

Shubman Gill or Mayank Agarwal would have tussled for that slot in the absence of the regular skipper. However, the injury to KL Rahul means the pair can now open the batting leaving Rahul’s replacement in the squad, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shreyas Iyer to contest for the middle order position. Rohit Sharma is also resting for this series after a successful tour to England at the top of the order.

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Rahane, the stand in skipper during the famous series victory in Australia, will assume captaincy in the first Test match and returning with him to shoulder batting responsibility is Cheteshwar Pujara. Both batters came under the scanner during the England tour and anything but convincing performances may lead to further talks regarding their selection for upcoming assignments.

Rishabh Pant is also rested for this series meaning the reliable Wriddhiman Saha will keep wickets, following which India will play with three spinners in Ravi Ashwin, Axar Patel and the returning Ravindra Jadeja. While Axar and Jadeja comprise a similar profile of spinner, the former’s recent success and the latter’s progress as an all rounder will see both play together in the India vs New Zealand series.

India will be without the services of regular pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, clearing the field for Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Siraj to start. Their backups include the experienced Umesh Yadav who has always done well on the familiar subcontinent surfaces.

India vs New Zealand predicted 11: Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer (Virat Kohli when he returns), Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Ravi Ashwin, Axar Patel, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj.

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