The series already lost, India captain Rohit Sharma is expected to ring in a few changes when they take on New Zealand in the third and final Test match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, starting from November 1. Coming after a 2-0 Test series win over Bangladesh at home, India started favourites against the Kiwis but stumbled upon.
With the World Test Championship (WTC) final qualification at stake, India need to win four out of their remaining six games to advance to their third consecutive summit clash. The fight starts from Mumbai.
India aren’t likely to tinker with their top four which consists of Rohit, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli. Jaiswal has been among runs in both the games while Rohit and Virat have just one fifty-plus score each to show. Gill, who came into the side in the second Test, scored 30 and 23.
Sarfaraz Khan’s 150 in the first Test in Bengaluru came while batting at No.4. However, he was made to bat at No.6 and 7 in Pune, without much success. The management can rejig the batting order by bringing in Sarfaraz at his usual No.4 position - a spot where he bats for Mumbai in domestic circuit.
In that case, Kohli will have to drop down at No.5 with Gill coming at one-down. Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel might get a game in Mumbai after his senior Rishabh Pant sustained a knee injury in the Bengaluru Test. Pant did play in Pune.
With the final Test being an inconsequential one, the management think-tank might give the wicketkeeper a long rest before the gruelling five-match Test series against Australia. Known to be a spin-friendly ground, India will retain the spin trio of Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
Not to forget, this was the same ground where spinner Ajaz Patel became the third cricketer in the world to take 10 wickets in an innings against India when New Zealand last played a Test match at the Wankhede Stadium in 2021. Statistically, spinners took 33 out of possible 40 wickets in that game which India won by 372 runs.
While many might debate pacer Jasprit Bumrah could be rested considering his workload management ahead of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), but it is unlikely to be so. After, the third Test gets over on November 5, India’s first Test against Australia starts on November 22. The Indian players could easily get a break of maximum of 10 days before they start preparation.
It remains to be seen whether Rohit opts for Mohammed Siraj or continues with Akash Deep in Mumbai as both have been named in the squad for BGT.
India’s predicted XI for 3rd Test vs New Zealand:Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah
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