India and New Zealand are scheduled to lock horns against each other in a three-match test series with the first game set to commence at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on October 16th, 2024. Both the teams have a lot to play for while fighting out for a seat at the World Test Championship (WTC) final, making it a series that could be a total belter for one looking to seal a top-two position in the WTC points table. India will be high on momentum after securing a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh, while New Zealand would be looking for redemption after a 2-0 loss against Sri Lanka.
Milestones To Watch Out For During IND vs NZ Test Series
Apart from team stakes, the series will also provide an opportunity for a handful of cricketers to achieve some big individual milestones. Here are some of the key records to look out for over the next three weeks:
1. Kohli’s Pursuit of 9,000 Test Runs
Virat Kohli, is just 53 runs away from entering a very exclusive club of Indian batters who have gone past the 9,000-line mark. If he does so, then only four Indians would have gone past this line, after legends Sachin Tendulkar with 15,921, Rahul Dravid with 13,265 and Sunil Gavaskar with 10,122.
2. Williamson’s Chase into the 9,000-Run Club
Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson is on the cusp of history, being the first Kiwi batter on the cusp of 9,000 test runs. With 8,881 runs to his name, Williamson will need 119 more runs for this historic figure. He has already bagged the top spot for New Zealand both in test cricket and across all formats, with an outstanding tally of 18,266 international runs. However, Williamson’s availability for the series is still hanging on the line given that he is recovering from a groin injury.
Check more on groin injuries in cricket here.
3. Ashwin’s Bid to Surpass Kumble
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin stands at the doorstep of topping various all-time test cricket lists by removing Anil Kumble from the charts – with him now tying for most five-wicket and 10-wicket hauls by an Indian bowler. Ashwin and Kumble are tied with 37 five-wicket hauls and eight 10-wicket hauls, respectively, in tests. Another five-wicket haul would make Ashwin the man to second place on all-time list, Muralitharan being on top with 67. If he can pull off another 10-wicket haul, he will join two others who have such as the number of hauls in Test history: Richard Hadlee and Rangana Herath. 4. Kuldeep’s 300-Wicket Milestone
4. Kuldeep’s Entry In 300 Wickets Club
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav remains only six wickets away from achieving the milestone of 300 wickets across all formats. With 172 wickets in ODIs, 53 wickets in test matches and 69 wickets in T20Is, Kuldeep is likely to become the 13th Indian bowler if he adds a few more wickets to his tally in this series.
However, in what is looking like to be an exciting contest between India and New Zealand, records in individual events will add another element of the thrill of the battle for WTC qualification, as the competition for qualification has been highly competitive.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
