India find themselves in an unusual territory ahead of the third and final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai. Never in the last 24 years have India been whitewashed in a Test series at home. But New Zealand, with a series-clinching 2-0 lead, have a chance to repeat that history.
Defeats in Bengaluru and Pune exposed the chinks in Indian batting and have threatened India’s top spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) table. Only a top-two finish in the WTC table at the end of the 2023-25 cycle will fetch India a third consecutive qualification in the final.
That makes the Mumbai Test against New Zealand and the five Tests for the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia after that crucial to India’s WTC chances.
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Talking about the third Test beginning at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday, former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali has said that the failure of Indian batting in the first two matches has sent alarm bells ringing and all the batsmen, especially Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, will have to get some runs under their belt.
He added that the hosts must avoid a whitewash to fly to Australia with sort of confidence.
“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, ab to unhe runs karne padenge, chahe kaisi bhi pitch ho (they will have to score now whatever the pitch be like). (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, (Shubman) Gill, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz (Khan) or (KL) Rahul — all of them,” said Basit in his YouTube video.
Rohit has scored just 62 runs, while Kohli has only 88 runs to his credit in the four innings across the first two Tests against the Kiwis.
Happy Choti Diwali to All | India NZ Ko Diwali Ka Toufa Daine Kay Liye Tayar | Basit Ali
“Lal mitti taiyar hai New Zealand ke liye (the red soil is ready for NZ). People are talking there will be a whitewash, but I don’t think so. India should give a Diwali gift to New Zealand (by winning the Mumbai Test). If they can’t, then they shouldn’t think about the World Test Championship (final) anymore,” the 53-year-old former Pakistan batsman added.
While the New Zealand spinners, especially left-armer Mitchell Santner, won’t mind a spinning track, it will test the Kiwi batting, especially if India decide to load their line-up with spinners.
Basit expects that to be the case when the playing elevens are declared.
“If it’s a spinning track, then India should pick just one fast bowler (in the playing eleven). Play Kuldeep as well, all four spinners. That’s what I think. You will have variation (of spinners)…you need to give flight, force them to use their feet,” Basit reckoned.
“Not taking any credit away from New Zealand. They have played top-class cricket — especially the three left-handers (batsmen), Tom Latham, Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway.
“So India will have to do all the homework…A win is very important for their morale before the Border Gavaskar Trophy. If they go to Australia after a 3-0 whitewash at home, then they will face a lot of problems,” he concluded.