IND vs NZ Pune Test, Pitch Report: What To Expect From Surface At MCA Stadium For India vs New Zealand 2nd Test?

IND vs NZ 2nd Test Pune Pitch Report: With India eyeing to level the series after going down to New Zealand in the first Test, will the Pune surface be a spin paradise right from the start? Find out.

IND vs NZ 2nd Test Pune Pitch Report: India are set to face New Zealand for the second Test of the three-match IND vs NZ Test series at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune from October 24 (Thursday) onwards. After losing the first Test in Bengaluru, Team India are desperate to even the series in the Pune Test. With Bengaluru pitch having witnessed a pacer-friendly wicket, Pune’s pitch is expected to be altogether a different challenge, especially for the visitors.

India were bowled out for just 46 runs in the first innings of the IND vs NZ Test at Bengaluru, recording their lowest total in a Test innings at home. After losing the series opener by eight wickets, India captain Rohit Sharma said that the team will shrug off the loss and will try to make a strong comeback in the next Test.

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Pitch Report For IND vs NZ 2nd Test, Pune

With pressure of not giving away anymore World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 points to New Zealand in the series, India are highly likely to use the home advantage and get a spin-friendly surface at Pune.

With a black soil pitch set to be laid out for the IND vs NZ 2nd Test, it is likely that spin will start playing its part right from Day 1 of the Test. This implies that the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and possibly Axar Patel, if selected, could play a huge role for India right from the word go.

What Happened Last Time India Played A Test In Pune?

In their last Test at Pune in October 2019, India secured a commanding victory against South Africa, winning by an innings and 137 runs. Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 254 runs, helping India declare their first innings at 601 for five. India dismissed South Africa for 275 in their first innings, thanks to Ravi Ashwin's four wickets and bowled the Proteas out for 189 in their second innings.

Before the South Africa Test, India played against Australia at Pune in 2017, where spin dominated heavily, resulting in 31 wickets being taken by the spinners across all four innings. Eventually, Australia won the match by 333 runs.

If these Test matches are anything to go by, Pune’s surface is set to offer considerable help to the spinners, but may not be troublesome for batters right from the start either. Winning the toss and batting first is most likely going to be the captain’s choice as putting a decent total on the board is going to be crucial.