Will India bank on 3-pacer combination for New Zealand Tests? Coach Gambhir reacts

India vs New Zealand: India may stick with a three-pacer strategy for the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru with grass on the pitch and overcast weather influencing the decision.

In Short

• India may stick with a three-pacer strategy for the first Test
• Coach Gautam Gambhir kept the cards close to his chest
• New Zealand will be prepared for pace-heavy conditions

India might be considering retaining the three-pacer strategy for the Test series against New Zealand, with the team likely to field Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep in the Bengaluru Test. This approach, which served India well in their recent series against Bangladesh, may be employed again, especially with the team gearing up for their Australian tour next month, where fast bowling will be pivotal.

The grass on the Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch, along with overcast weather predictions, could push India to stick with their trio of pacers. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir emphasized that no final decision had been made yet.

However, head coach Gautam Gambhir kept the cards close to his chest. "It (combination) depends on conditions, wicket and opposition. The best part about this dressing room is that we've got so many high-quality players and we can select any of them. We know they can do the job for us. That is what is called depth. We'll have a look at the wicket tomorrow. We'll have a chat and see what is the best combination to do the job at the Chinnaswamy Stadium," Gambhir told reporters on Monday.

Despite the likely pace-friendly conditions, Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma might also consider including additional spinners. New Zealand's recent struggles against the Sri Lankan spin, where they lost 37 wickets in two Tests, may encourage India to exploit that vulnerability. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav could be in contention to complement Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja if India opts for more spin in the attack.

"Obviously, we've got a lot of quality, not only Kuldeep Yadav, but we've got a lot of other quality bowlers in the squad," Gambhir said. "We only select the playing 11 who can do the job for us."

New Zealand, meanwhile, will be prepared for pace-heavy conditions, relying on their fast bowlers to challenge India's lineup. William O'Rourke, their lead pacer, is expected to spearhead the Kiwi attack. New Zealand top-order batter Rachin Ravindra spoke about his expectations from the Bengaluru pitch. "I think traditionally Bangalore is a little bit less turning (pitch). You see a lot of fast bowlers taking wickets here. It might not be as turning as what we might expect in Mumbai," said Ravindra.