The India-New Zealand Test series began on a disappointing note as the first day of play in the series opener at Bengaluru on Wednesday (October 16) was washed out due to rain. A persistent drizzle throughout the day prevented the ground staff from drying the ground in time.
Former India cricketer Saba Karim, speaking on Jio Cinema, mentioned that the Hawk-Eye system had not been set up on the ground due to the rain on the eve of the game. This process would take 90 minutes, making it nearly impossible for any play on Day 1 after the first two sessions were washed out.
The match has now been shortened to a four-day game, adding pressure on the home team to secure victories in all three games of the series to secure a spot in the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) final before heading to Australia for a 5-match Test series.
Unfortunately, the weather forecast for the second day (Thursday, October 17) does not look promising, with both India and New Zealand hoping for favorable conditions to start the match. The forecast indicates no rain at 9:30 AM, but the chances increase to 34per cent at 10:30 AM, potentially affecting the first session.
The weather outlook for the second session is more optimistic, with only a 9 per cent chance of rain at 12:30 PM. However, rain is predicted from 1:30 to 2:30 PM IST, with the highest likelihood (46 per cent) at 4:30 PM IST, during the final hour of the day.
Regarding the match itself, the toss has yet to take place, giving both teams an opportunity to adjust their playing combinations. India, initially planning to field three spinners, may opt for three pacers due to the overcast conditions.
For New Zealand, this will be Tom Latham's first game as the team's full-time Test captain, stepping in for the absent Kane Williamson.
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