Debutant Rachin Ravindra and No.11 batter Ajaz Patel’s survived 52 balls as the Kiwis held India at bay to seal a thrilling first Test draw in the fading light in Kanpur.
After being whitewashed in the three-match T20 series, New Zealand still have the chance to take something from an autumn-winter campaign that has also seen them lose out to Australia in the T20 World Cup final.
It could be another tense affair, with fears that at least one day could be washed out, but even so, it promises to be another fantastic Test match.
A nail-biting draw in Kanpur
#WTC23 | #INDvNZ | https://t.co/9OZPrsh0Tm pic.twitter.com/rUg3AFmuja
— ICC (@ICC) November 29, 2021
Mumbai Back on the Agenda
The match marks the first Test to be played at the Wankhede Stadium since 2016, when England made 400 but still lost by an innings as Ravi Ashwin took them apart second time around on a depreciating surface.
Therefore, gutsy batting is a must and as they showed in the opening match, the Kiwis know how to dig in.
Losing the toss perhaps ended their hopes of winning, but the Black Caps have a real chance if they get in first.
An away victory is 17/4 and that price appeals when you consider that India will again be without Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah.
Virat Kohli is back but his form has been shaky over the last few years. In contrast, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor are two of the most reliable batsmen in the world and with them coming in at three and four, the tourists have a real chance of upsetting the odds.
Southee Sets the Tone
Although it came down to the spinners in Kanpur, New Zealand’s seamers kept them in the game, with Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson taking 14 wickets between them.
With Trent Boult again absent, those two will again be vital at the Wankhede Stadium. Southee captained the side through the T20 series but Williamson’s return in the longest format has allowed him to focus on his bowling and he was at his best in Kanpur.
The 32-year-old knows the conditions in Mumbai, having played for the Indians in the IPL in both 2016 and 2017.
Southee is 10/3 to be his team’s leading bowler, with Jamieson a competitive 7/2. Ajaz Patel actually leads the market at 11/4, but perhaps has some form to find after proving expensive in the opening Test.
Patel still took three wickets and will have a part to play when the pitch inevitably starts to break up. However, it might be the early work from the seamers that makes the difference.
Watch For Williamson
Kiwi skipper Williamson took the T20s off to recover from his team’s runners-up spot in the UAE and understandably looked a bit rusty first time out.
The 31-year-old managed just 18 and 24 in Kanpur but will have benefited from the experience.
Although played in wildly different conditions, Williamson made 49 and an unbeaten 52, the latter coming alongside Taylor’s 42 not out, as his country sealed victory in the World Test Championship in June.
After a long year for his team, it would be typical to see the Tauranga-native make an impact in Mumbai and he is 21/10 to be his country’s top first innings batsman, with Taylor also handy at 9/2.
*All odds correct at time of writing.