New Zealand head coach Gary Stead on Friday said beating India in Tests at home in spin-friendly conditions was "one of world cricket's greatest challenges" and he has no illusion about how tough it would be to face Virat Kohli's men in the upcoming tour.
India opener Prithvi Shaw is likely to retain his place in the playing eleven for the second Test against New Zealand, starting Saturday, while Ravindra Jadeja may replace Ravichandran Ashwin.
South African-born batsman Devon Conway and left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel also received their first central contracts, NZC said in a statement
Unseasonable rain in Mumbai has also meant that both teams have not been able to practise outdoors since Wednesday and the weather conditions could have an impact on the team selection, according to Kohli.
Ishant Sharma's lack of rhythm can be attributed to lack of game time and it would take a couple of Test matches for him to get back into the groove, India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said.
New Zealand pacer Tim Southee has attributed his stellar success away from home in the last three years to adapting quickly to foreign conditions and honing his craft with the old ball.
Images from Day 3 of the 2nd Test between England and New Zealand played at Edgbaston on Saturday
Trent Boult said he expects the green top at the Hagley Oval to be more conducive for his brand of swing bowling compared to the Basin Reserve track
Azhar, who finished the day unbeaten on 62 off 169 balls, helped Pakistan recover from the loss of two early wickets to trail New Zealand by 135 runs with seven wickets remaining.
New Zealand's three-pronged attack could spell trouble for India on a spiced-up track and Will Somerville, who played a gutsy knock in Kanpur, might have to sit out.
Tim Southee's prophecy before the start of the first Test against Sri Lanka came true on the opening day of the match as he took his eighth five-wicket haul at the Basin Reserve on Saturday.
Mayank Agarwal scored his fourth Test half-century as India inched to 78-2 at tea on the third day of Trent Boult followed up his counter-attacking cameo innings of 38 to take three wickets, including that of Virat Kohli, to put New Zealand on top against India at the end of the third day of the first test on Sunday. Trent Boult followed up his counter-attacking cameo innings of 38 to take three wickets, including that of Virat Kohli, to put New Zealand on top against India at the end of the third day of the first test on Sunday. The visitors, who had not lost any of their seven previous International Cricket Council World Test Championship matches, were 144-4 at the close of play at the Basin Reserve, still 39 runs behind and staring at their potential first defeat.
Debutant Shreyas Iyer was guts, aggression and flair rolled into one during an unbeaten knock of 75, which was nothing short of a baptism by fire, as India ended on 258 for four on the first day of the opening Test against New Zealand in Kanpur on Thursday.
Centuries by Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq helped Pakistan overhaul New Zealand's total of 274 but a lower-order collapse saw their lead restricted to 74 on day three of the third and final Test in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
The only selection issue facing New Zealand as they head into the second match against India at Christchurch is likely to be whether pace bowler Kyle Jamieson, so impressive on his Test debut at the Basin Reserve, bats higher in the order. Jamieson made a big impression in the hosts' 10-wicket victory in the opener of the two-Test series, capturing 4-39 in the first innings and then scoring 44 in a rearguard action.
Azhar Ali and Haris Sohail scored half-centuries as Pakistan overcame a shaky start to reach 207-4 against New Zealand on day one of the second Test in Dubai on Saturday.
Captain Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor combined to put New Zealand in a strong position in the first Test before India struck back late on Saturday to remove both just as their partnership threatened to take the match away from the tourists. Images from Day 2 of the first Test between New Zealand and India in Wellington on Saturday.
New Zealand pacer Tim Southee believes that Rishabh Pant's freak run-out went a long way in changing the course of the Indian innings that eventually folded up for 165 in the first Test, in Wellington, on Saturday.
New Zealand coach Gary Stead, on Tuesday, said he was a bit surprised by India's abject surrender in the first Test but is expecting a strong comeback in Christchurch.
Images from Day 2 of the first Test between India and New Zealand, in Kanpur, on Friday.
For Kohli, a trophy-less cabinet doesn't do justice to the champion performer that he has been for a decade.
Pakistan's bowlers showed controlled aggression and intelligence to skittle out New Zealand for 153 on day one of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Iyer grabbed their chances with centuries, but seniors like Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma had a forgettable series.
Virat Kohli's split second indiscretion became his undoing as he went for a needless pull-shot to a well-disguised short ball.
Images from Day 2 of the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and New Zealand, at The Hampshire Bowl, in Southampton, on Saturday.
Chasing 268 to go 1-0 up in the two-Test series, Karunaratne's 161-run opening stand with Lahiru Thirimanne (64) set the tone for a successful chase at the Galle International Stadium.
It was the first time in Test cricket that a full day's play had been completed without a wicket falling since the first day of the second match between South Africa and Bangladesh on Feb. 29, 2008.
The Australia batsman has overtaken New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and is now only nine points behind India skipper Virat Kohli.
Before they take the field for the World Test Championship final on Friday, June 18, Rajneesh Gupta takes a look at India-New Zealand Test encounters in the new century.
Jasprit Bumrah, the fastest Indian pacer to 50 wickets, is now seventh in the bowlers' list after a leap of nine places owing to his five-wicket haul against the West Indies.
Boult, De Grandhomme cleared to travel to Perth for first Test against Australia
With this win, Australia have now gained a 12-2 lead in the series. The team had already secured the Ashes in the first T20I.
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