India vs New Zealand first Take a look at in Bengaluru on October 16, 2024: the sport faces the specter of rain.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, the torchbearers of India’s transition part, should be the staff’s driving drive in its quest to lord over an unsettled New Zealand when the 2 sides sq. off in a three-Take a look at collection, starting in Bengaluru on Wednesday (October 16, 2024).

The baton has not been fully handed, however Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are definitely working their final lap and these two younger superstars should present that they will carry ahead the legacy of the titans.

Since a productive collection towards England earlier this yr, Gill is now extra acquainted and comfy with the rigours of Take a look at cricket.

It’s reliably learnt that Gill has a stiff neck, however ought to be capable of play right here and the staff physio is difficult at work to make sure that he’s totally match for the sport that additionally faces the specter of rain.

Gill’s final 10 innings are dotted with three lots of and two fifties, whereas Jaiswal’s final eight outings in Take a look at cricket characteristic a 214 and 5 fifties.

These numbers are to not be scoffed at. However on the similar time, it is crucial for them to construct on the muse by this collection, a precursor to the a lot more durable journey to Australia subsequent month.

Gill appears to have sorted his points with the in-coming deliveries from pacers, however a hint of the outdated failing nonetheless stays.

In Chennai, Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahamud troubled him with nip-backers earlier than finally grabbing his wicket.

Equally, Jaiswal has a penchant to go for expansive pictures towards tempo bowlers to get dismissed, evidenced by his three dismissals lately towards Bangladesh quicks.

In all, the left-hander has fallen to pacers 12 occasions in 20 innings, and he would need a greater document earlier than dealing with a clutch of top-class Australian pacers.

Whereas these considerations usually are not deeply rooted, they function cautionary factors towards a New Zealand assault that has succesful fingers in pacers Matt Henry, William O’Rourke and the skilled Tim Southee, if he will get to play right here after a pointy decline in his type.

There may be one other angle to the emergence of Jaiswal and Gill because the pillars of the Indian line-up, as Kohli and Rohit haven’t exactly set the sphere ablaze.

Rohit, who has performed 15 innings this yr, has made two lots of however managed just one fifty within the remaining 13, totaling 497 runs in eight Assessments at simply over 35.

Kohli, 53 runs shy of 9000 Take a look at runs, has not made even a fifty in six innings this yr, and whereas Rohit usually perishes in his try to seize the momentum, his colleague gives a way more curious case.

The 35-year-old Kohli has not been capable of convert the 2 begins he bought this yr, ending up with 46 (vs SA) and 47 (vs Bangladesh), stirring the uncomfortable recollections of that nice droop between 2019 and 2023.

The grasp batter may also must keep watch over New Zealand left-arm spinners – Ajaz Patel and Rachin Ravindra – the tribe which has been a thorn in his flesh prior to now.

It has been some time since these two stalwarts embossed their mark throughout a full collection, and a nervy New Zealand may very well be their golden likelihood to take action.

India has solely minor considerations, however New Zealand’s troubles throughout batting and bowling departments are extra pronounced.

Their batsmen struggled copiously towards Sri Lankan spinners lately whereas dropping an away collection 0-2, and right here they should negate two modern-day greats in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

They took 20 wickets collectively towards Bangladesh and with the Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch anticipated to provide some help to spinners, the veterans could be itching to have a bowl right here.

Apart from the duo, the Kiwis should cope with the genius of Jasprit Bumrah, who rattled Bangladesh by selecting up 11 wickets throughout two Assessments.

In the event that they stick with the mix from the final collection, Akash Deep would be the third pacer behind Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.

The administration will take into consideration the truth that New Zealand, who’ve already misplaced Kane Williamson to an harm, have been put by the wringer by Lankan spinners lately.

In one other blow, right-arm pacer Ben Sears has been dominated out of the collection as a result of a knee harm. An uncapped Jacob Duffy, who has performed six ODIs and 14 T20Is, has been introduced into the squad.

Groups

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.

New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Mark Chapman, Will Younger, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Blundell (wk), Ajaz Patel, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, William O’Rourke, Jacob Duffy.

Match begins at 9.30 AM IST.