Cricket: Black Caps have shot at history

Black Caps coach Mark Greatbatch. Photo / Getty Images

NAGPUR, India - Who would have thought it? With one match in the test series against India remaining, the New Zealand cricket team have cause to back themselves to create history.

A team riddled with self doubt, wild inconsistencies and flights of fancy in recent years have gone toe to toe with the world's leading nation through two high scoring draws.

Now the third and final test is upon them starting at VCA Stadium here tomorrow (1700 start NZT) and providing they remain level headed, don't get ahead of themselves and retain a steely determination to stay in the battle, the tourists have it in them to pull off a shock result.

They could become the first New Zealand team to win a test series in India in eight attempts stretching back over more than half a century.

Few would have considered that possible as little as three weeks ago.

Even Black Caps coach Mark Greatbatch, in a pre-tour interview, said he would be satisfied with two draws, leaving the result of the third match up to your imagination.

"Through two tests we've had some dominant moments but in the last one I think we showed some other character from behind," Greatbatch said ahead of the decider.

"We were behind the 8-ball after not getting enough runs in the first innings. We fought back with the ball then fronted with the bat for the last day and a half.

"They are good wickets (over here) but you still have to do it. I think mentally we have been pretty tough.

"We've gone 10 days into a 15-day series and we're still fighting with them."

There's no question the Black Caps enter the final match in a better head space.

Given the expectations they have nothing to lose and everything to gain, while the opposite holds true for a star studded Indian team under mounting pressure to crush the interlopers who arrived here supposedly to scrape and bow at the feet of the home team.

So both sides are highly motivated, although India have suffered a severe setback due to the groin injury which has forced the withdrawal of left-arm quick Zaheer Khan, who is expected to be replaced in the starting 11 by Ishant Sharma.

New Zealand's specialist batsmen have matched the output of their opposites to date, while both bowling attacks have performed containing roles on unhelpful surfaces.

That may change in Nagpur on a VCA Stadium pitch said to offer more pace and bounce than encountered so far. As well, it is predicted to give more encouragement to the spinners later on, so it essentially meets the needs of both combatants.

Black Caps fast bowler Chris Martin, who has been around the traps for a decade now, knows what victory here will mean for himself and his colleagues.

"If we were to pull off a win it would be career defining. It would be one of those great moments for New Zealand if we did it," Martin said.

"We are good scrappers and we are hanging in there."

They will need something extra special to get them over the line and team selections could prove crucial.

The batting has taken care of itself but they probably need a more attacking option in their seam attack, meaning a possible test debut for left-arm fast bowler Andy McKay at the expense of Brent Arnel, who was tidy without being threatening in the second test at Ahmedabad.

But that assumes they stick with a three-seamer/one specialist spin attack and again ignore offspinner Jeetan Patel, who was dropped after the first test at Ahmedabad.

Captain Daniel Vettori has given nothing away regarding selections but he appreciates what is at stake.

"I know there is an expectation for India to win because they are ranked number one in the world," he said.

"To go into the last test match with the result of the series to be decided is a good achievement for us.

"We are happy with our performances but we are not satisfied. We still want to put ourselves in winning situations because not many New Zealand teams have come over here and won.

"It would be such an amazing achievement for us."

And so it would.

TEAMS

Teams for the third and final test between New Zealand and India starting at VCA Stadium in Nagpur tomorrow (1700 NZT start):-

New Zealand (from): Daniel Vettori (captain), Brendon McCullum, Tim McIntosh, BJ Watling, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Kane Williamson, Gareth Hopkins, Tim Southee, Jeetan Patel, Chris Martin, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Andy McKay, Brent Arnel.

India (from): MS Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Shantakumaran Sreesanth, Ishant Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Amit Mishra, Murali Vijay, Jaider Unadkat.

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

Umpires: Simon Taufel (Australia) and Nigel Llong (England).

- NZPA