New Zealand will still be without their former captain Kane Williamson in the ongoing Test series against India. After sitting out the opening Test in Bengaluru, Williamson has also been ruled out of the second Test match which will be played in Pune.
After sustaining a groin strain during the Sri Lanka Test series, which ruled him out of the first Test, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead emphasized that they don’t want to rush their premier batter back into action.
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“We’re monitoring Kane and he’s tracking in the right direction, but isn’t yet 100% fit,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said.
“We’re hopeful to see further improvement over the coming days and have him available for the third Test. We’ll give him as much time as possible to get himself ready, but certainly continue to take a cautious approach, he added.
New Zealand won the first Test by 8 wickets
Missing Kane Williamson is a setback for New Zealand, but it has not hurt them much so far, as they won the first Test in Bengaluru by 8 wickets. This victory was emotional because it was their first Test win in India in 36 years. In Williamson’s absence, Will Young batted at No. 3, scored 33 in the first innings and a crucial unbeaten 48 in the second innings to help New Zealand win.
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The key to this historic win, which was only their third ever in India, was the performance of pacers Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke, who took nine wickets to bowl India out for just 46 in the first innings, their lowest total at home. Rachin Ravindra also played a big role by scoring his first Test century in India, giving New Zealand a large first-innings lead.
Even though India made a strong comeback with great performances from Sarfaraz Khan (150), Rishabh Pant (99), and Virat Kohli (70), New Zealand stayed focused and secured the win by chasing down the target of 107.
The second Test match in Pune will begin on October 24, and New Zealand will be aiming for a win to seal the series and achieve the unthinkable, as India haven’t lost a home series since 2012.
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