The third and final India-New Zealand Test may look inconsequential as the visitors have already pocketed the three-match series, winning the first two games, but it is not. In the larger picture, the result of the Test will have an impact on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table.
India are still atop the WTC standings, but their losses in Bengaluru and Pune have reduced their percentage points to 62.82, with second-placed Australia (having 62.50 percentage points) breathing down their neck.
If India can’t win in Mumbai, they will then have to win four of the five Tests in the coming series against Australia to keep their WTC final hopes alive.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir, however, believes the team has learnt a lesson from this series defeat, which will urge the youngsters, in particular, to do something special.
“Every time you lose a game, be it at home or away, it should hurt and that hurt will make us better. I’m sure the young players will push themselves to keep getting better because that is exactly what we want them to be — pushing themselves every day to be a better cricketer and doing something special,” Gambhir said on Thursday.
The red-soil pitch at the Wankhede promises sharper turn and bounce, with assistance for quicks only in the initial stage. It remains to be seen if India go into the game with a four-pronged spin attack if Jasprit Bumrah is rested.
Bumrah, whose workload is of massive importance going into the Australia tour, underwent light fitness and fielding drills and didn’t bowl in the training sessions India had in Mumbai.
If India play four spinners, chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav is likely to join Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the XI. Unless there’s a surprise in store.
