The Indian cricket team suffered a defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the series opener in Bengaluru last week, losing by eight wickets. The anticipation for the second match has only grown as fans wonder how India will bounce back. Speculation has been rife about the pitch conditions and how the home team will leverage their advantage on the black soil surface in Pune.
All eyes are on the upcoming second Test match, with the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle in mind. Despite their recent loss, the team led by Rohit Sharma remains at the top of the table, having won eight out of twelve matches, with three losses and one tie. Their 98 points and 68.06% points percentage put them in a strong position.
Meanwhile, teams like Sri Lanka and Australia have lower percentages, at 62.50% and 55.56% respectively. A missed opportunity for India could provide a significant boost to these teams, particularly Sri Lanka.
Weather forecast of Pune for Day 1, October 24
Weather forecasts from Accuweather.com predict a mix of sun and clouds on Day 1 of the match, with temperatures in the early 30 degrees Celsius range. Cloud cover is expected to increase to 48-53 percent as the day progresses, but rain is unlikely to disrupt play, with only a 1 percent chance. This bodes well for the match, unlike the series opener where Day 1 was completely washed out by rain.
In preparation for the second Test against New Zealand, the Indian team management is considering including three spinners in the playing XI. The spinner-friendly pitch at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, made of black soil, could give India the edge they need to level the series at 1-1.
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