New Zealand’s cricket team will be starting their India tour without their star player, Kane Williamson, who is still recovering from a groin strain. The absence of Williamson, who has been in great form this year with 618 runs in 12 innings, including three centuries and two half-centuries, will be a major setback for the Kiwis in the first Test against India.
Williamson’s leadership on the field will also be missed, as he has valuable experience playing in India, despite not having the best batting record in the country. With Tom Latham stepping in as the captain in Williamson’s absence, the team will have to adjust to the new leadership dynamics ahead of the series.
However, Williamson’s absence opens up an opportunity for Mark Chapman to make his Test debut. Chapman has had success while touring India with the New Zealand A side and has shown promise in first-class matches, including scoring a century against India A in 2020. His potential debut will be something to watch out for in the upcoming series.
The three-Test series between India and New Zealand will kick off in Bengaluru, followed by matches in Pune and Mumbai. India will be looking to secure a home series win against New Zealand to strengthen their position in the World Test Championship before their challenging tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
New Zealand, on the other hand, will be aiming to put up a solid performance against the Indian team, as they have never won a Test series in India. The absence of Williamson will be a challenge, but it will give other players a chance to step up and make an impact in the series. It will be interesting to see how both teams perform in what promises to be an exciting Test series between two competitive sides.