Bruised India gear up for test series against Kiwis

Auckland: It's a new game and new format and what battered and bruised India would look for is a total turnaround after losing ODI series 4-0 when they take on highly confident and rejuvenated New Zealand in the opening match of a two-Test series starting here Thursday.


    
The Indians not only lost  five-game ODI series but also surrendered their number one status in the ICC rankings. Now their number two ranking is at stake and if they have to retain the position, they will have to at least draw the series.
     
As preparation for test series the visitors played a two-day warm-up game ahead of the Tests which ended in a draw and gave them mixed results as far as individual form of the players was concerned.
     
With the exception of Pragyan Ojha (Ishwar Pandey replacing him), this is the same Test squad that lost 1-0 in South Africa before this tour.
     
And after the departure of Sachin Tendulkar, with Indian cricket turning over a new page, that was a respectable result in more ways than one. India's young batsmen, untested abroad in the longer format, held their own for nine days before losing on the final day of the two-Test series.