In the glorious annals of Test cricket, which will ring in its 150th anniversary next year, some numbers have acquired permanence over time.

Sir Don Bradman’s otherworldly Test average of 99.94 will forever be iconic. Sunil Gavaskar’s 10,122 runs, on account of the Indian being the first in the world to cross 10K, is epochal. The mild-mannered Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan’s 800 scalps, snared with a ferocious snap of his right arm, is another monumental figure.

The magic figure

More broadly, in sync with the sport’s tendency to set benchmarks through statistics, a career average of 50 has long been the magic figure for batters in white flannels. Operating in another stratosphere without doubt was Bradman, whose average over 52 Tests from 1928 to 1948 is an insurmountable peak of the kind unlikely to be witnessed again in all of sport.

Moreover, Bradman’s influence extended beyond the field, with his runs acting as a balm to hordes of Australians suffering the grim consequences of the Great Depression.

For the rest, who cannot reach such dizzy heights, averaging half as much as the pre-eminent Australian over a reasonably lengthy career is a measure of bona fide greatness. To do so, a batter must be able to straddle different worlds, ranging from the fast and bouncy surfaces of Australia and South Africa in the southern hemisphere to the dusty, spin-friendly decks of the subcontinent.

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But in a landscape where so much of the Test game is undergoing transformation, there is perhaps a change unfolding here as well.

Among those with a minimum of 2000 runs starting January 1, 2020, only three have achieved the gold standard of 50 — the recently retired Kane Williamson of New Zealand and a pair of Englishmen in Joe Root and Harry Brook. The corresponding data for preceding decades point to a perceptible shift: 11 batters had a 50-plus average from 2010 to 2019, and as many as 19 from 2000 to 2009.

A multitude of factors

It isn’t by happenstance that the beginning of this shift coincides with the introduction of the World Test Championship (WTC) in 2019. Ever since teams have been incentivised to pursue silverware at the end of every two-year cycle, they have prioritised optimising home advantage by looking to win as many games as possible in familiar climes.

The chance to bag 12 points for a victory in the WTC, as opposed to four for a draw, encourages the pushing of the envelope. Result-oriented surfaces, where ball dominates bat, have thus become common.

The venues in Australia offer a striking example. In years gone by, most pitches Down Under had sharp pace and steep bounce, but they were also eminently favourable to batters who relished the cut and pull. Once the new Kookaburra ball lost its lustre, the willow-wielders were in prime position to make hay under the baking sun.

Now, the balance has swayed significantly in favour of the pacers. So much so that three of the last seven Tests have finished inside two days, with the fast men reaping the rewards. Even the Sydney Cricket Ground, traditionally conducive to guile and flight, has turned into a fast-bowling paradise.

“Probably averaging 35 with the bat is the same as averaging 45 a decade ago. I think the wickets have changed that much,” Aussie quick Josh Hazlewood told the media recently.

Changed thinking

In the view of former India opener Wasim Jaffer, a patient accumulator of runs during his playing days, a rise in result-oriented strips shouldn’t be an alibi for batters’ shortcomings. He contends that the prevailing mindset of run-makers, given their routine exposure to white-ball cricket, seldom lends itself to digging in and grinding out a meaningful score.

Increasingly, to paraphrase Jaffer, finding batters in the mould of Rahul Dravid or Cheteshwar Pujara is going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

“As soon as the ball seams, swings or spins, and conditions are a little in favour of the bowlers, the batters want to attack their way out of trouble,” Jaffer told The Hindu. “You’re not going to find somebody like Dravid or Pujara who will play out a session or a spell and cash in a little later. We are generally living in a time where patience is non-existent.”

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Jaffer concurred with the broad sentiment that many of the pitches of late haven’t been straightforward for batting. However, he cited the example of Headingley 2002, one of India’s famous overseas wins in which Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly peeled off centuries, to assert that such challenges have been conquered.

“The mindset is not there to survive. As a result, even balanced pitches become talked about because the batters don’t stay for long. They make it look tougher at times,” he argued, before recollecting, “I was part of the Indian team in Leeds in 2002. The conditions were very difficult. Still, the Test went into the fifth day. We had batters like Sachin, Sourav and Rahul. They survived the tough phases, and then it became easier.”

More than one reason

When it comes to defensive technique too, there has probably been a downturn. A case in point is the waning ability of Indian batters against spin on tracks assisting turn.

While the presence of the Decision Review System (DRS) has added another degree of difficulty, for batters are far more prone to being adjudged leg-before, very few appear adept at using the depth of the crease to move fully forward or back. Over the past two home seasons, India has borne the brunt, against New Zealand left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and South African offie Simon Harmer.

The bowlers, often condemned to anonymity in the shorter formats, deserve their share of the credit. The widespread use of the wobble-seam delivery, a type of release where the seam isn’t perfectly upright on purpose, is an illustration of the ingenuity of fast bowlers coming to the fore.

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Though the delivery isn’t exactly new, there seems to be greater awareness among a wider pool of quicks about the benefits of the seam wobbling on its way to the batter. For the men facing up, in comparison to dealing with swing through the air, there are no obvious clues to lean on when the ball deviates off the surface after pitching.

“It’s an additional weapon in the armoury of fast bowlers. The wobble seam sometimes confuses you as a batter. If it lands in the right spot and darts back in, it creates problems,” Jaffer observed.

It brings us interestingly to Virat Kohli, Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Formidable occupants of India’s middle-order until three years ago, they have all retired from Test cricket over the past 15 months.

At the time of their exits, the fact that none of them finished with an average above 50 was perceived to be a blot on their careers. It may not be so in the years to come.

South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj.
| Photo Credit: AP

New Zealand T20 cricket team captain Mitchell Santner during a training session. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner bats during the T20 cricket international between New Zealand and the West Indies in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

New Zealand 15-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 being announced in Wellington on January 12, 2025. Photo: X/@BLACKCAPS

Fast bowlers Lockie Ferguson and Ben Sears were recalled to New Zealand’s 15-man squad on Sunday (January 12, 2025) for the Champions Trophy next month in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

Ferguson is no longer contracted to New Zealand Cricket and missed the home series against Sri Lanka which finished on Sunday, (January 12, 2025) while playing in Australia’s Big Bash League.

Sears was a traveling reserve for last year’s Twenty20 World Cup but missed New Zealand’s test series in India in November and the first half of the domestic season with a knee injury. He returned from injury on Thursday in a T20 match for Wellington province.

Sears, Will O’Rourke and Nathan Smith have been named to play at their first ICC tournament but Jacob Duffy, who was outstanding in the T20 and one-day international series against Sri Lanka, has been named as a traveling reserve.

“ICC tournaments represent the pinnacle of our game and it’s a huge honor to be picked to represent your country at them,” coach Gary Stead said.

“I’d especially like to acknowledge Ben, Nathan and Will, who will be attending their first senior ICC events and I know they’re really excited to do so.”

The pace attack is led by the experienced Matt Henry and Ferguson, who has played in two T20 and two ODI World Cups.

The experience of the squad is also bolstered by captain Mitchell Santner, wicketkeeper-batter Tom Latham and former captain Kane Williamson, who played in the last Champions Trophy in 2017. Williamson also played in the 2013 edition.

Santner will be leading New Zealand to a major tournament for the first time. He offers a spin bowling option along with Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra.

The batting lineup is a strong one with Devon Conway, Will Young, Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell and Williamson providing depth and experience.

“Although the Champions Trophy hasn’t been played for a few years, the team is well aware of the history of the tournament and the fact New Zealand were the first winners of the tournament in 2000 when it was known as the ICC KnockOut Trophy,” Stead said.

“We’re currently blessed with a lot of quality players and that certainly made for some challenging selection discussions. Ultimately, we’ve gone with the squad that will offer us the best options to perform well in the expected conditions in Pakistan and the UAE.” New Zealand will prepare for the tournament with a warmup tri-series against Pakistan and South Africa in Karachi and Lahore and a warmup match against Afghanistan in Karachi.

The Champions Trophy is contested by the top-eight ranked men’s ODI teams in world cricket.

The squad

Mitchell Santner (capt), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young.

New Zealand’s captain Tom Latham attends a practice session before the third test match against India in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Almost two months ago, when New Zealand arrived in Greater Noida for a sub-continental sojourn that involved six Tests in two countries against three oppositions, the Kiwis would have hoped to maul Afghanistan, overcome Sri Lanka and stretch India.

Ahead of its last of the six Tests, having seen the Afghanistan Test being washed out primarily due to poor outfield in Greater Noida and being wiped out in both the Tests in Sri Lanka, New Zealand is on the verge of creating history.

Tom Latham, who was reappointed as Test captain just before the India series, is hoping for a series whitewash in India.

“This is another exciting opportunity presented to us this week. We have done a lot of good stuff over the last couple of weeks, but you go into every Test with the focus of trying to win key moments, not necessarily focusing on the result,” Latham said.

“That’s the byproduct of putting things together back to back, good sessions back to back. This is a different pitch, and these are different conditions. Also, it’s a lot hotter out there. Another really exciting opportunity and another one the guys are looking forward to.”

Latham couldn’t have asked for a better surface than a turning track at the Wankhede Stadium. He hoped Santner’s form and Ajaz Patel’s familiarity will help the New Zealand spinners outshine India’s spin unit yet again.

“We saw last week that Mitch (Santner) bowled fantastically well on a wicket that suited him. You look back a few years ago (in 2021), the surface out here suited Ajaz (Patel) pretty well too in terms of what he was able to achieve, so when you have had success at a ground, coming back to a familiar venue and you have done well certainly gives you confidence,” Latham said.

“I thought Ajaz did a great job in terms of how he bowled last week, just in terms of being able to tie an end up at different stages of the game. Mitch got the rewards but that’s just the beauty of a team sport, not every day a certain person is going to be successful and that’s certainly what we talk about as this group, everyone chipping in at certain times and I am sure it will be the same in this game.”

New Zealand’s captain Tom Latham congratulates Mitchell Santner after an Indian wicket during the second Test in Pune on October 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

He was reappointed as Test captain after two years following the team’s series loss in Sri Lanka. But Tom Latham, the New Zealand captain, was “immensely” proud of the historic feat his team achieved on Saturday (October 26, 2024), assuring his team its first Test series win in India.

“Coming off the back of a Sri Lankan series where we obviously didn’t get the results that we wanted, to come here and play the style of cricket that we have played, we are immensely proud to be in the position of winning two Test matches here,” an elated Latham said.

“A lot of New Zealand teams have come here over the past 69 years, I think it is, and 13 series. To be the first team to win a series over here is immensely special. (I am) very proud of this group.”

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New Zealand have created history! It’s taken them seven decades but the Black Caps finally have a series win in India! And it’s in n emphatic manner, with a dominant show for the second consecutive week.

India’s 12-year-long unbeaten series record at home has been broken. The World Test Championship final spot is in jeopardy and they have lots of questions to ponder over before heading to Mumbai for the Diwali Test!

(IND vs NZ second Test: Day 2 in pictures, October 25, 2024)

(IND vs NZ second Test: Day 1 in pictures, October 24, 2024)

Mitchell Santner proved to be a thorn for the Indian batsmen as he once again struck telling blows and finished the match with a 13-wicket haul.
| Photo Credit: K. Bhagya Prakash

For the second time in three days – and the third time in four innings this series – India’s batters surrendered against a clinical New Zealand as the visiting side created history by taking an unassailable lead in the three-match series, mauling India by 113 runs.

Twenty-six minutes into the last hour of the third day at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium, with some of the 28,895 spectators who had turned up hoping against hope of an India turnaround, Tim Southee at long-on completed a clean catch to dismiss Ravindra Jadeja off Ajaz Patel and the New Zealand bunch burst into a prolonged bout of celebration.

After setting India a stiff target of 359, all it took for the Kiwi bowlers — led by the bespectacled Mitchell Santner — was 257 minutes and a little over 60 overs to wind up India’s second essay for 245.

Barring Yashasvi Jaiswal, who adopted an ultra-aggressive approach before being drawn forward and undone in flight by Santner, and Jadeja who prolonged the inevitable, no India batter could occupy the crease on a pitch that continued to aid the tweakers.

The Kiwi spinners – especially Santner – persisted with making India’s batters play by employing a stump-to-stump line. It paid dividend yet again as the Indian batters continued to be beaten on either side of the edge.

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New Zealand Mitchell Santner celebrates with his teammates after taking a wicket against India in Pune on October 25, 2024.
| Photo Credit: K. Bhagya Prakash

The batters’ constant failure in making runs in the first innings is costing the team dear, admitted bowling coach Morne Morkel even as India are in danger of losing the first Test series at home since 2012-13.

After getting bundled out for an abysmal 46 in the first innings of the opening Test, India were skittled out for a mere 156 in the first essay of second Test here on Friday as New Zealand took firm control of the match.

India vs New Zealand 2nd Test Day 2 Highlights

“I never like to have a punch up between batters and bowlers but, in Test match cricket you need to score the first innings runs,” Morkel told the media during the post-day press meet.

“If we put our hand up, we haven’t been able to do that. There are world class players in our batting line up. I know that individually, they’ve got their processes and they know how to go about those things,” he added.

Morkel hoped to see a better outing from Indian batters in the second innings.

“Hopefully, we can iron those mistakes out because it’s costing us at the moment — not getting the runs on the board — but I’m pretty sure there’s enough experience, enough knowledge amongst them to rectify that,” he added.

“I back the team (to come up) with a strong response in our second innings. I’m excited to see how they bounce back and how they play this situation and the conditions,” he said.

Morkel said India will have to maintain belief and back their knowledge of the conditions to avert losing the match and the series.

“We have to believe. This game is a funny game. Our guys are attacking players, there’s guys that know these conditions well. Our talk before this game was that we are masters in these conditions, we know how to sum these conditions up,” he said.

“Let’s be honest, it’s going to be a tough task. But what an opportunity for somebody to really inspire and put in a fighting and a top performance — that’s the way I see it.

“When conditions are tricky and tough you’ll see real people stand up and fight and if we show that fight and somebody gets the momentum going in these conditions, you never know,” he said.

Morkel said the hosts wanted to see off the overs on Day One when they reached 16/1 in 11 overs and then find momentum on Day Two.

“I think they (New Zealand) bowled very well in partnership. Watching from the outside, it was very hard for us to rotate strike, to keep the scoreboard ticking,” he said.

“In these sort of conditions where the ball is turning and asking a lot of questions, it is important to do that.

“The pace that (Mitchell) Santner bowled today in particular, was spot on for this surface. On Day Two, arriving here this morning being one down, our camp was very confident that we were going to bat big but unfortunately we just couldn’t get that momentum going,” he added.

Morkel praised New Zealand for coming to this tour well-prepared.

“I must give credit to New Zealand. The way they’ve adapted to conditions, the way they’ve sort of blocked out what is in front of them and just played the game, it’s been incredible so far in this series,” he said.

“Definitely in Bangalore and here, playing those sessions, playing those important moments they’ve done it better than us at the moment.” “And that’s one of the reasons why they’re on top of this game at the moment. They’re creating pressure with the ball. They’re putting our bowlers under pressure by sweeping and reverse-sweeping well.

“They’re a team that plans well, they go into tours and really leave no stone unturned so I’m not surprised by the way they’re playing at the moment,” he added.