After the way that New Zealand defeated India in the first Test match at the Chinnaswamy, there has been a lot of anticipation for the start of the second game in the series to see how the hosts will respond. Discussions about the pitch and how India would like to take advantage of their home advantage and maximise the black dirt track that the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium is expected to provide have been rampant.
There are many considerations regarding the forthcoming match in relation to the current World Test Championship cycle of 2023–25.
India is still in first place after losing the first Test by eight wickets, but they have won eight of their 12 games, lost three, and drawn one.
They have 98 points overall, or 68.06% of the total. Nonetheless, Australia and Sri Lanka are not far behind, with respective PCTs of 62.50% and 55.56%. Both of those teams, especially Sri Lanka, will benefit greatly if India doesn’t take use of their opportunity to extend their league.
Also approaching is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India cannot take that series for granted, even though they have won the last two times they have travelled across Australia. It’s always difficult to play against Australia, but playing Australia in Australia is a whole other ballgame. Therefore, the second test is even more important when it is taken into consideration. However, the outcome will depend on Pune’s weather for the five days that the match is scheduled.
The weather forecast for Day 1 of the second test in Pune is shown here.
A “blend of sun and clouds” is predicted for the first day, according to AccuWeather. It is anticipated to hover in the early 30°C range. As the morning of the day gives way to the afternoon, the cloud cover drops from 58% to 43%.
Even though cloud cover is predicted and some ominous clouds are predicted to pass over the stadium, the likelihood of precipitation is still quite low at 1%. Therefore, it is anticipated that play will proceed with less disruptions than we witnessed during the first Test, where the opening day was cancelled entirely owing to rain.
Also Read: IND vs NZ 2024: Ryan Ten Doeschate gives update on Rishabh Pant’s injury status ahead of 2nd Test
With the addition of Washington Sundar to India’s roster, Kane Williamson of New Zealand remains out owing to a groin ailment.
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