Ahead of India’s three-match Test series against New Zealand, former wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel expressed strong confidence in the Rohit Sharma-led side, stating that India is currently capable of beating any team in the world in the longest format of the game. India has shown consistent dominance in Test cricket since their loss to New Zealand in the 2021 World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Despite that defeat, India reached the WTC final again in 2023 and continues to be the top-ranked Test team. Most recently, they secured a 2-0 series win over Bangladesh, with a particularly aggressive batting display in the rain-hit Kanpur Test, showcasing their resilience and adaptability.
Discussing India’s upcoming challenges, Parthiv Patel remarked, “I don’t see pitches being like what they were against Bangladesh. It won’t be seaming as much as it was in Chennai and Kanpur, but looking at this squad, I don’t think India needs those kinds of pitches or even turners. This Indian team is good enough to beat any side in the world at this point.”
ALSO READ: Bhargav Bhatt’s Stunning 6-Fer Powers Baroda To Victory Over Mumbai In Ranji Trophy Thriller
He added, “Obviously, they would like to get some runs from Rohit Sharma with the way he has been playing, and Axar Patel may get an opportunity. Against New Zealand, you want to win the series, and India will be challenged at some point. But I think India has the personnel to defeat New Zealand.”
India’s three-match Test series will begin in Bengaluru on October 16, followed by games in Pune and Mumbai. Parthiv Patel, who has earned 25 Test caps, cautioned that India needs to be wary of New Zealand’s left-arm spin duo, Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel, especially given the Indian batters’ previous struggles against left-arm spinners.
“With the WTC in mind, I’m sure India would like to win 3-0, and that’s a likely outcome. But India will be challenged, and their biggest challenge will be handling left-arm spinners, Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel. India has always struggled against left-arm spinners, so that will be their biggest test,” Parthiv Patel pointed out.
In a similar vein, former selector Saba Karim emphasized the importance of staying focused on the present challenge, rather than looking ahead to the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia later in the year.
“I think India’s biggest challenge will be to stay focused on the present and not think too far ahead to the Australian tour. They need to build on the positives we’ve seen in recent home series, like the emergence of exciting young pace bowlers. Akash Deep was a revelation, and India also has several spinners to choose from. The selectors and team management will have to figure out the best combination to play, but personally, I’d love to see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli firing at the top,” Saba Karim shared.
ALSO READ: Amol Muzumdar Reflects On India Women’s Lacklustre Performance In T20 World Cup
Karim also noted the inclusion of four travelling reserves—Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayank Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna—suggesting that India is already preparing for the challenges of their upcoming series in Australia.
Despite New Zealand’s recent struggles, including a 2-0 loss in Sri Lanka, both Patel and Karim warned that India should not take them lightly. New Zealand’s experience in Indian conditions and its competitive spirit could still pose a serious challenge to India’s ambitions.
