Bowlers give hosts edge in even contest
India haven't won a single overseas Test out of their last 12; New Zealand have won only three at home over the same period
Match facts
February 6-10, 2014Start time 1100 local (2200 GMT, previous day)
Big Picture
At one of the more oddly shaped grounds in cricket begins what looks like a Test series between evenly matched sides. New Zealand were overwhelmingly the better side in the ODIs, but they will surely know it won't be easy to roll India over during the Tests. There is evidence of that in how India put up a fight in the Tests in South Africa after an ODI series that was even more horrible than the one in New Zealand. Also the hosts have a record to correct, that of having won only three home Tests - two against West Indies and one against Zimbabwe - since the start of 2011.Form guide
(last five completed matches, most recent first)India LDWWW
In the spotlight
If there is to be a turnaround for India, you'd imagine Kohli will have a role to play. In South Africa, too, he was the first man to make India believe they could compete. It is not just the runs Kohli makes, it's his enforcer attitude that lifts the team up. Only when he can marshal the batting unit can India ponder the question of how to take 20 wickets.Teams news
New Zealand have a pretty settled combination with Corey Anderson batting at No. 6 and wicketkeeper BJ Watling coming in at No. 7. They have resisted the temptation of playing four quicks, which means Doug Bracewell will sit out, making this a big match for the India-born legspinner Ish Sodhi, against some of the best players of spin.Pitch and conditions
There is a bit of grass on the Eden Park pitch, McCullum said, but not enough to make New Zealand play four quicks. "Decent covering of grass," he said. "Funny-looking grass, too, at one end. Good hard surface. Expect more bounce than it had against England. A bit of pace in it as well. Don't expect a huge amount of movement sideways, but it might just be enough." India won all the tosses in the ODI series without much impact, but McCullum will do anything to win one here, because batting first will be difficult.Stats and trivia
- Three of Zaheer Khan's seven away five-fors have come in New Zealand.
- No spinner other than Daniel Vettori has taken 50 wickets in New Zealand.
- As was the case with South Africa's batsmen, India coach Duncan Fletcher has worked as a consultant with the New Zealand batsmen too.
- Taylor, who reached the 4000-run mark during the series against West Indies, took 94 innings to get there, only one more than the fastest New Zealander to the mark, Martin Crowe.
Quotes
"Bowlers are going pretty good at the moment. They are bowling well in partnerships. They are getting the ball to swing in the air, they are also pretty hostile when they get the chance to bowl at the tail. The way our seamers have been operating has been one of the most pleasing aspects of our Test game this summer."Brendon McCullum trusts his bowlers
MS Dhoni on India's recent Test performances
Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo