Day 1 of India-New Zealand first Test called off due to rain in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Day one of the first Test between India and New Zealand at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswammy Stadium was called off due to rain on Wednesday.

On Day 2, toss will take place on 8.45 am and play will start from 9.15 am IST. No proceedings could take place today at all due to rain.

The official handle of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) posted an update, saying, “Update from Bengaluru Day 1 of the 1st #INDvNZ Test has been called off due to rain. Toss to take place at 8:45 AM IST on Day 2 Start of Play: 9:15 AM IST #TeamIndia|@IDFCFIRSTBank”.

India will be hoping to continue their home dominance as they take on New Zealand for a three-match Test series. India has been extremely dominant in Test conditions, having not lost a Test series at home since their 1-2 loss to England in the 2012-13 season. Since then, India has won 18 successive Test series at home and are undefeated in a series since over 4,000 days. They currently sit at the top of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 standings with eight wins, two losses and a draw in 11 Tests.

On the other hand, New Zealand suffered a 2-0 series whitewash at the hands of Sri Lanka away from home recently. The Tim Southee-led side was blanked in the opening Test that went right down the wire with a 63-run defeat and lost the second Test by an innings and 154 runs. They sit at the sixth place in the ICC WTC points table with three wins and five losses in eight Tests.

India named a 15-player squad on Friday for the upcoming three Tests against New Zealand, beginning on October 16 in Bengaluru. For the Bangladesh Tests, with Rohit Sharma leading the side, India left the position of vice-captain vacant. But this time, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been officially appointed as Rohit’s deputy for the three Tests.

Following the conclusion of the Sri Lanka series, pacer Tim Southee decided to step down from the captaincy, and Tom Latham will lead New Zealand during the three Tests against India.

India’s squad for the three Tests against New Zealand: 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.

Travelling reserves: Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayank Yadav and Prasidh Krishna.

New Zealand squad: Tom Latham (C), Tom Blundell (WK), Michael Bracewell (1st Test only), Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Ish Sodhi (2nd and 3rd Test only), Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young. (ANI)