India up against their bugbear in bid for CT semis

In limited-overs tournaments, the Kiwis hold a 9-5 advantage. They lord the WTC head-to-head by a whopping 6-1 margin. Among them, victory in the final of the inaugural WTC in Southampton in June 2021, and an unprecedented 3-0 sweep in India’s backyard last year.

Dubai: India vs New Zealand in ICC tournaments. A recurring nightmare, a nightmare on loop. Cataclysmic, almost.

In limited-overs tournaments – the T20 World Cup, the 50-over World Cup, the Champions Trophy – the Kiwis hold a 9-5 advantage. They lord the World Test Championship head-to-head by a whopping 6-1 margin (one draw). Among them, victory in the final of the inaugural WTC, in Southampton in June 2021, and an unprecedented 3-0 sweep in India’s backyard last year.

To term New Zealand as India’s nemesis will be a gross understatement.

It’s against this enterprising, unyielding outfit that Rohit Sharma’s side will round off their league engagements in the Champions Trophy, thankful that qualification to the phase two doesn’t hinge on the outcome of Sunday’s encounter at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Like New Zealand, India are through to the semifinals following convincing victories over Bangladesh and Pakistan respectively. Like the Indians, the Kiwis will also target a third successive win to grab the bragging rights and finish on top of Group A, a status that otherwise confers no significant advantage when the knockouts kick off.

India will be delighted that while they won’t be under any great pressure to arrest an alarming sequence against New Zealand, they will potentially be tested more than they have in this competition. The excitement of pitting their wares against a quality outfit coming off a title triumph in a tri-series in Pakistan earlier in the month – with South Africa as the third wheel – will be tempered by the realisation that 40 hours after the conclusion of the New Zealand game, they will have to front up for Tuesday’s first semifinal. Sunday, therefore, will be about managing resources without a drop in intensity, about ensuring that key personnel are kept as fresh as possible without compromising on the quality of cricket or subconsciously embracing a chalta hai attitude which, in any case, doesn’t come naturally to this unit.

Rohit allayed any fears of a serious hamstring injury – he left the field briefly, clutching the back of his thigh, early in Pakistan’s innings last Sunday – with a lengthy hit at the nets at the ICC Academy ground on Friday evening. The skipper has been key to India’s designs of getting off to a cracking start on pitches that have progressively slowed down here. Unlike in Pakistan where 300 has been the bare minimum, the Dubai tracks have prevented uninhibited stroke-making, though there is no denying that Bangladesh’s 228 and Pakistan’s 241 were both decidedly below par.

Bangladesh didn’t have too much in the spin cabinet beyond Rishad Hossain and, to a degree, Mehidy Hasan Miraz; Pakistan were largely about Abrar Ahmed and part-timers. New Zealand, surprisingly, are far better stocked in this regard. There is Mitchell Santner, the left-arm spinning skipper who wrecked India in the Pune Test in October with 13 wickets. Michael Bracewell, the offie who was the Player of the Match last week against Bangladesh for his four for 26. One-time wicketkeeper Glenn Phillips, now a terrific off-spinner. And Rachin Ravindra, who has more ICC white-ball hundreds (four) than any other Kiwi and is a competent left-arm spinner to boot. India’s middle order will have its hands full.

New Zealand will most likely welcome back Daryl Mitchell, the middle-order bat who missed the Bangladesh victory through illness. Mitchell made hundreds in both games against India in the 2023 World Cup, while Kane Williamson, the former skipper, has always had a liking for the Indian bowling. In many ways, this will be the first serious examination of the skill and the character of the Indian attack.

Will India rest Mohammed Shami, as much to give him a break because of Tuesday’s imminence, as to give Arshdeep Singh a game? And what of Rishabh Pant? Will he get a chance to get off the bench? More importantly, will they put their Kiwi nightmares to bed, pun unintended? Watch this space.