The visitors are without Kane Williamson for the opening match
Bengaluru: The first day of the opening Test between India and New Zealand was washed out without a single ball bowled due to persistent rain on Wednesday. With poor weather conditions expected to continue throughout the week in Bengaluru, the start of the match remains uncertain.
Umpires inspected the pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium before the tea interval but concluded that play would not be possible.
This marks another disappointing moment for New Zealand, who also had their one-off Test against Afghanistan last month in Greater Noida abandoned due to rain.
The current series, which will also include matches in Pune and Mumbai, is part of the World Test Championship. India is aiming for a strong performance against the reigning 2021 champions to bolster their chances of reaching the WTC final for the third consecutive time.
New Zealand is missing key player Kane Williamson for the first match due to a groin injury he sustained during their 2-0 series loss in Sri Lanka. Pace bowler Ben Sears has also been ruled out of the series with a knee injury.
This match marks Tom Latham’s debut as New Zealand’s permanent captain, having recently taken over from Tim Southee.
India, led by Rohit Sharma, enters the series with confidence, coming off a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh. The team is looking to extend their dominant home record, with 18 consecutive series wins since their 2012 loss to England.
India Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.
New Zealand Squad: Tom Latham (captain), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Mark Chapman, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Blundell (wk), Ajaz Patel, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, William O’Rourke, Jacob Duffy.