India on back foot before first ball (17 December 1998)

17 December 1998

India on back foot before first ball

By D J Rutnagur in Dunedin

ENGLAND'S Test opponents of next summer, New Zealand, begin a three-Test home series against India at Carisbrook tomorrow, with a new opening batsman in 21-year-old Martin Bell - the only new cap in either side.

India, in terms of collective Test caps, are far richer in experience. But they have the reputation of travelling badly, an impression reinforced by their recent defeat in a one-off Test by Zimbabwe in Harare. It is five years since they won a Test abroad and that was in Sri Lanka - hardly far from home.

The extent of India's vulnerability on foreign soil was highlighted by the two matches they have played against provincial sides on this tour. Central Districts beat the Indians at Napier well inside three days. Against Wellington, at Basin Reserve, the Indians eventually won but were outplayed for the best part of the first two days.

For their part, New Zealand have done much to probe India's shortcomings and gain a psychological advantage before the first ball is bowled at Carisbrook. Both at Napier and Wellington, the pitches prepared for the Indians were meddlesome on the first day, with bounce and lateral movement aplenty.

David Blake, of Central Districts, had demonstrated the tourists' susceptibility to left-arm pace, and the selectors have responded by calling up two left-arm bowlers: Geoff Allott, who has been out of the Test side for a year, and Shayne O'Connor.

The teams

NEW ZEALAND (from): *S P Fleming, M J Horne, M D Bell, N J Astle, C D McMillan, C L Cairns, -A C Parore, D J Nash, D L Vettori, S B O'Connor, G I Allott, P J Wiseman.

INDIA (from): *M Azharuddin, N S Sidhu, A D Jadeja, R S Dravid, S R Tendulkar, S C Ganguly, -N R Mongia, A Kumble, J Srinath, V B K Prasad, Robin Singh Jr, D Mohanty, Harbhajan Singh.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)