Team India head coach Rahul Dravid along with skipper Virat Kohli and opener Shubman Gill during an indoor training session in Mumbai.
India vs New Zealand 2nd Test Match Live Updates
India’s record at Wankhede Stadium
Total Matches played– 25
Won – 11
Lost – 7
Draw – 7
IND vs NZ at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Head to head
Total Matches-2
Indian won- 1 (IND vs NZ – 1976 – India won by 162 runs)
New Zealand won- 1 (IND vs NZ – 1988 – India lost by 136 runs)
Both teams have met twice and have registered one win each.
IND vs NZ, 2nd Test Mumbai Weather Updates: No rain expected on Day 1 at Wankhede
After the Kanpur Test between India and New Zealand concluded in a draw, anticipations are all high for the second and the final Test to be played between the two sides at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The red-ball game between the two sides will begin on Friday, December 3 ahead of which we look at the weather conditions of the venue. If the opening day of the play seems to bring some happy news of no rain, the subsequent days are unwelcoming which are expected to be marred by rain amid the play.
Test match returns to Wankhede after five years. India's latest red-ball game at this venue happened against England in 2016 when they registered an innings and 36 runs win over the Three Lions.
Virat Kohli grinds it hard ahead of the second Test against New Zealand in Mumbai.
Kohli declares Wriddhiman fit; hints at extra pacer considering overcast conditions
India captain Virat Kohli on Thursday indicated that they may field an extra pacer in the second Test against New Zealand to exploit the likely change in conditions if persistent rainfall continues.
Mumbai is witnessing heavy unseasonal rain which has caused a sharp drop in temperature. The overcast conditions would bring seam and swing bowlers into the equation due to underlying moisture content.
Kohli on tour of Omicron-hit South Africa: Hope to get clearer picture in next couple of days
India captain Virat Kohli on Thursday said he expects to get more clarity from the BCCI on the upcoming tour of South Africa in the next couple of days and does not want to be left "confused" following the emergence of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron.
It is understood that head coach Rahul Dravid has initiated a conversation within the group and is also keeping the players abreast about what's happening at the administrative level.
Kohli was addressing the media on the eve of the second and final Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from Friday.
"You want to seek clarity as soon as possible, so we have spoken to all the senior members of the squad. Obviously Rahul bhai (Dravid) has initiated a conversation within the group, which is very important to know," Kohli said when asked about his and the team's view on the tour.
"At the end of the day, we understand, I mean our focus from the Test match will not shift regardless, but also know that you would want to have clarity and you want to be in a situation where you know exactly what's going on."
IND v NZ 2nd Test: Dravid and Kohli have to make some tough calls, says Laxman
Former India batsman VVS Laxman believes that head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Virat Kohli will have to make some tough calls in terms of how the batting order should be ahead of the second Test against New Zealand. The legendary cricketer said that Dravid and Kohli shouldn't ignore the performances of Shreyas Iyer in his debut Test at Kanpur while taking the correct decision.
Iyer made an instant impact in his debut during the first Test at Kanpur, making 105 and 65 in both innings under pressure, leading to him bagging the Player of the Match award in a thrilling draw. He also became the first Indian batter to score a hundred and a half-century on his Test debut. Iyer's scintillating show on debut has raised a conundrum as with Kohli returning, who drops out of playing eleven becomes the main question.
"Shreyas Iyer batted in both the innings and to get a hundred in his first Test series and then to follow it up with a fantastic half-century. Both these innings, mind you, have come when the team was under pressure, so it was a fantastic performance from Shreyas Iyer," said Laxman.
