New Zealand made 152 for 1 in their first innings, when play was called off early because of rain, on Day 2 of the first cricket Test against India in Kanpur on Friday.
New Zealand find themselves in the a difficult group with two-time champions West Indies and Afghanistan also vying for the the top two spots.
Virat Kohli has succumbed to spin three times in the first two Tests, while scoring just 68 runs in four innings.
New Zealand eye consolatory win over PNG
Kane Williamson produced some brilliant placement under pressure to guide New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in their second Twenty20 international at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Tuesday.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the third Test between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday
India found themselves in real danger of losing the first Test against New Zealand, in Ahmedabad after a top-order collapse left them reeling at 82 for six in their second innings on Sunday.
McCullum was 143 not out at the close of play, his eighth Test century, while Williamson was dismissed after tea for 113, his fifth hundred, as the Kiwis finished the opening day on a strong 329 for four in 90 overs.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson said his team were 20 to 25 runs short when they slipped to a seven-wicket defeat in Wednesday's World Twenty20 semi-final against England.
Rohidas was sent off the pitch almost 40 minutes from the final hooter after his stick unintentionally hit a rival player.
The biggest challenge for the New Zealand batters on their upcoming Test tour of India will be picking the turning ball and more so the odd one that skids through, reckons former Black Caps opener Martin Guptill.
Kane Williamson scored his fifth century in eight Tests in 2015 to guide New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka before lunch on the fourth day of the second Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Monday.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson doffed his cap to pacer Mohammed Shami and the India team after his side was outplayed in the World Cup semi-final.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against New Zealand?
There was poor communication and complete mismanagement between the stadium authority and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). Rain had affected the buildup to the Test, the first between the two nations, with New Zealand not being able to complete a single practice session properly.
Despite the glossiness of their victory over New Zealand, Indian captain Rohit Sharma was candid enough to admit that the team felt a few strands of pressure going into the World Cup semifinal in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Bangladesh scored 245 for nine against New Zealand in their ICC Men's ODI World Cup match in Chennai on Friday.
Ravi Bishnoi stole the show on Sunday night.
NZ face WI in virtual knockout, rain threatens to derail England again
After England collapsed from 288 for five to 302 all out, New Zealand initially struggled in reply before Williamson and Taylor took the game away from the hosts with a clinical 206-run third-wicket stand.
India dominates ICC Test Rankings
Rohit has managed just one half-century in his last eight innings in which he has tallied 104 runs. Kohli's freefall in Test cricket continues. He has fallen to spin three times in the first two Tests. Ashwin, usually, dominant at home, managed just six wickets in the first two Tests at an average of 43.
Batsman Kane Williamson has been given the opportunity to flex his captaincy credentials after being named to lead New Zealand in their one-day international and Twenty20 series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
'Dhoni will never go to a player and ask him what field you want.' 'He will want the player to learn from his own mistakes.' 'Rohit will put his arm around your shoulder and tell you, "This is what is expected from you, you can do this".'
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson's continuation in the ongoing IPL season is under doubt after suffering a right knee injury during his team's winning effort against Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad on Friday.
IMAGES from the Indian Premier League match played between Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad, on Thursday.
Pant was appointed as the Delhi Capitals skipper following the injury to regular captain Shreyas Iyer,
Kane Williamson staged a fight-back along with opener Tom Latham (36), and Ross Taylor (26) as New Zealand reached 140 for 2 (42 overs) at close of play on Day 2 of the 2nd Test at the WACA in Perth on Saturday.
New Zealand's campaign has hit a disheartening flatline after their early domination and the Kiwis will have to rediscover their bowling mojo for a World Cup reboot when they face knocked-out Sri Lanka in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Prolific India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, the leading run-scorer in the ongoing Test series against England, has been nominated for ICC Men's Player of the Month Award for February alongside New Zealand's Kane Williamson and Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka.
Having already played their opening encounters in the ongoing cricket World Cup, it is time for New Zealand and the Netherlands to venture deep into the tournament as they face each other in Hyderabad on Monday.
R Ashwin is always up for a challenge and two days from his landmark 100th Test, India's premier off-spinner looked back at the on-field battles he has enjoyed in international and domestic cricket.
Rachin Ravindra, who reached the half century mark for the second time in his short test career and was 56 not out at stumps, will resume on day four alongside Daryl Mitchell, who was unbeaten on 12, in a partnership worth 52 runs.
Devon Conway scored a half-century to guide New Zealand to a seven-run victory over South Africa in a rain-affected World Cup warm-up game on Monday.
Travis Head last played in the IPL in 2017 for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Premier New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson showed his prowess in shortest format as his smashing innings powered Northern Knights to a convincing seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka's Southern Express in a rain-curtailed opening game of the Champions League T20 in Raipur.
Top order batsman Kane Williamson will return to New Zealand's lineup for the second Test against West Indies on Wednesday after coming through fitness tests on his broken thumb, captain Brendon McCullum said on Tuesday.
Kane Williamson hit a century and Luke Ronchi smashed 24 runs off one explosive over when the match was still in the balance to steer New Zealand to a four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the fourth One-Day International in Nelson on Tuesday.
Hailing Virat Kohli as the "comeback king," former Indian opener Aakash Chopra said with his 'Player of the Tournament' performance in the ICC Cricket World Cup last year, Kohli "reinvented the wheel".
South Africa skittled New Zealand's tail to dismiss their hosts for 211 and take a shock first-innings lead of 31 runs on day two of the second Test at Seddon Park on Wednesday.
