Cricket
India have won the toss and chosen to bat first against New Zealand in the first Test in Kanpur
Updated : Nov 25, 2021, 09:23 AM IST
India won the toss and opted to bat first against New Zealand in the first Test in Kanpur starting Thursday, November 25. Stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane said that the pitch looked very good but generally it slows down here in Kanpur, so batting first was a better bet.
#TeamIndia Captain @ajinkyarahane88 wins the toss and elects to bat first in the 1st Test against New Zealand.
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 25, 2021
Live - https://t.co/9kh8Df6cv9 #INDvNZ @Paytm pic.twitter.com/1T4NOXNED7
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson said that he would have batted first as well but now that they are bowling, it's important to take early wickets.
Team India handed a debut to middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer while going with a combination of three spinners and two pacers.
A moment to cherish for @ShreyasIyer15 as he receives his #TeamIndia Test cap from Sunil Gavaskar - one of the best to have ever graced the game. #INDvNZ @Paytm pic.twitter.com/kPwVKNOkfu
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 25, 2021
For New Zealand too, there was a debutant in Rachin Ravindra, who will serve as the fifth bowling option along with two spinners and as many pace bowlers.
India: Shubman Gill, Mayank Agrawal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (C), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Ajaz Patel, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Will Somerville