Wed Oct 16 18:02:43 UTC 2024: ## India Favourites to Start WTC Campaign With Victory Against New Zealand

**Bangalore, India:** The highly anticipated three-match Test series between India and New Zealand is set to commence on October 16th, with the first Test match beginning Wednesday in Bangalore. With a formidable home record, India are clear favorites to win the opening match.

However, weather conditions might play spoilsport. The forecast for the next five days predicts heavy rainfall, with a 60% chance of rain every day, raising concerns about a possible washout, especially on the first day.

Despite the potential for weather disruption, India are eager to secure a victory and consolidate their position at the top of the World Test Championship points table. Their recent 2-0 series win over Bangladesh, where they wrapped up the match in just two and a half days, shows their dominance in home conditions.

New Zealand, on the other hand, are facing a challenging task. Though they have experienced players like Tom Latham, Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, and Daryl Mitchell in their ranks, their recent 0-2 series loss to Sri Lanka highlights the difficulties they face on the road.

Their batting woes in India are well documented, particularly against the spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel. They will also have to contend with the pace and swing of Jasprit Bumrah.

This series is crucial for both teams. India, aiming for their 18th consecutive Test series win at home, hope to gain a crucial advantage before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. They will also be looking for their star batsmen, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, to rediscover their form.

The Indian squad for the first Test:

* Rohit Sharma (c)
* Yashasvi Jaiswal
* Virat Kohli
* Shubman Gill/Sarfaraz Khan
* Rishabh Pant (wk)
* KL Rahul
* Ravindra Jadeja
* R Ashwin
* Mohammed Siraj
* Akash Deep
* Jasprit Bumrah

The battle between the bat and the ball is set to begin, with a hopeful glimpse of action amidst the rain.

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