Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer opened up how captain Rohit Sharma and newly-appointed head coach Rahul Dravid, including other seniors, supported him during India vs New Zealand three-match T20I series that India won 3-0.&nbsp;

Rohit's stint as India's T20I captain and Dravid's tenure as the head coach began with flying colours as the Men In Blue, who faltered at the recently concluded ICC Men's T20I World Cup 2021, produced an all-round performance despite the absence of some top regular players.&nbsp;

On the other hand, the T20 World Cup runners up New Zealand, failed to replicate their performance in World Cup, where they reached the finals but lost to Australia.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-nz-1st-test-live-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-india-vs-new-zealand-match-live-online-431598">IND vs NZ, 1st Test live streaming: When and where to watch India vs New Zealand match live online?</a>

Meanwhile, the bilateral series against the Kiwis allowed India to press the reset button and move on from the World Cup, where they didn't even reach the semis.&nbsp;

In the three-match series against the Blackcaps, there were plenty of outstanding performances and one such was from Venkatesh Iyer, who impressed with 1-12 in his first outing as a bowler for India in the third and final match. Well, made the debut in the first match only, but didn't get a chance to bowl in the first two contests.&nbsp;

After the third match, Rohit praised V Iyer, he said, "Good to see Venkatesh Iyer bowling those overs with the skills he has. Important for us going forward. I would prefer that going forward .. teams around the world bat deep till No.8, No.9."

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Now, Venkatesh Iyer talked about the support he received from Rohit and Rahul. "During the victory and trophy celebration, Rohit bhai came and gave the trophy to me and said well done. Holding the winning trophy was an emotional and proud moment for me," Venkatesh Iyer told Times Of India.&nbsp;

"I got a lot of support from my seniors, my captain Rohit bhai and coach Rahul sir. It was a special feeling for me when my captain Rohit bhai gave me the trophy and gave a lot of credit to me. He said you have done a good job, keep it up," he added.&nbsp;

On being asked about where he would like to bat, h said, "Whatever challenge comes my way, I will accept it. As a cricketer, I should be ready for everything. If my captain asks me to bowl, I will bowl as many overs needed and pick wickets. If my captain asks me to bat, I will go to the middle and score as many runs for my team as possible."

Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer opened up how captain Rohit Sharma and newly-appointed head coach Rahul Dravid, including other seniors, supported him during India vs New Zealand three-match T20I series that India won 3-0.

Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer opened up how captain Rohit Sharma and newly-appointed head coach Rahul Dravid, including other seniors, supported him during India vs New Zealand three-match T20I series that India won 3-0. Rohit's stint as India's T20I captain and Dravid's tenure as the head coach began with flying colours as the Men In Blue, who faltered at the recently concluded ICC Men's T20I World Cup 2021, produced an all-round performance despite the absence of some top regular players. On the other hand, the T20 World Cup runners up New Zealand, failed to replicate their performance in World Cup, where they reached the finals but lost to Australia. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 1st Test live streaming: When and where to watch India vs New Zealand match live online? Meanwhile, the bilateral series against the Kiwis allowed India to press the reset button and move on from the World Cup, where they didn't even reach the semis. In the three-match series against the Blackcaps, there were plenty of outstanding performances and one such was from Venkatesh Iyer, who impressed with 1-12 in his first outing as a bowler for India in the third and final match. Well, made the debut in the first match only, but didn't get a chance to bowl in the first two contests. After the third match, Rohit praised V Iyer, he said, "Good to see Venkatesh Iyer bowling those overs with the skills he has. Important for us going forward. I would prefer that going forward .. teams around the world bat deep till No.8, No.9." ALSO READ | Pat Cummins interviewed by CA for Test captaincy, Steve Smith likely to be pacer's deputy: Reports Now, Venkatesh Iyer talked about the support he received from Rohit and Rahul. "During the victory and trophy celebration, Rohit bhai came and gave the trophy to me and said well done. Holding the winning trophy was an emotional and proud moment for me," Venkatesh Iyer told Times Of India. "I got a lot of support from my seniors, my captain Rohit bhai and coach Rahul sir. It was a special feeling for me when my captain Rohit bhai gave me the trophy and gave a lot of credit to me. He said you have done a good job, keep it up," he added. On being asked about where he would like to bat, h said, "Whatever challenge comes my way, I will accept it. As a cricketer, I should be ready for everything. If my captain asks me to bowl, I will bowl as many overs needed and pick wickets. If my captain asks me to bat, I will go to the middle and score as many runs for my team as possible."

'It was a special feeling': Venkatesh Iyer hails Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid for supporting him

Ahead of India's first Test versus New Zealand, at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur, head coach Rahul Dravid bowled some off-spin at the nets. The video has gone viral in no time as it was shared of Team India's official Instagram handle.&nbsp;

Dravid, who ended with 13,288&nbsp;Test runs and 10, 889 runs in ODIs, also accounted for five wickets in his entire international career, which spanned from 1996-2012. Hence, the former Indian captain rolled his arms in the nets and bowled to India's No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-will-be-great-understanding-and-irfan-pathan-confident-of-rahul-dravid-virat-kohli-partnership-431639">'There will be great understanding and...' - Irfan Pathan confident of Rahul Dravid-Virat Kohli partnership</a>

The video was shared on Indian cricket's official Instagram page with the caption, "That moment when #TeamIndia Head Coach Rahul Dravid rolled his arm over in the nets."&nbsp;&nbsp;The priceless clip has soon become the talk of the town and has already garnered over 220k likes on the photo and video sharing platform. Here's the video:

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-wont-be-any-unfair-treatment-harbhajan-points-out-changes-rahul-dravid-will-bring-in-team-india-431619">There won't be any unfair treatment: Harbhajan points out changes Rahul Dravid will bring in Team India</a>

Ahead of the two-match Test series opener, Pujara opened up on having someone of the stature of Dravid as India's coach. "It will help most of the players, especially young players who have worked with Rahul bhai during U-19 and India A days. Even experienced players like us, I have played with Rahul bhai.I have worked with him during the A series, so all of us are looking forward to his guidance. The amount of experience he has as a player and coach of the team, helps," Pujara said during a press conference.&nbsp;

This will be India's first Test series under new coach Dravid. After whitewashing the Kiwis in the three T20Is, the Ajinkya Rahane-led hosts will look to maintain their dominance over the Black Caps and take an unassailable 1-0 lead in the series opener, at Green Park, Kanpur. The first Test begins from November 25 whereas the second and final Test will commence on December 3 in Mumbai.

Ahead of India's first Test versus New Zealand, at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur, head coach Rahul Dravid bowled some off-spin at the nets. The video has gone viral in no time as it was shared of Team India's official Instagram handle.

Ahead of India's first Test versus New Zealand, at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur, head coach Rahul Dravid bowled some off-spin at the nets. The video has gone viral in no time as it was shared of Team India's official Instagram handle. Dravid, who ended with 13,288 Test runs and 10, 889 runs in ODIs, also accounted for five wickets in his entire international career, which spanned from 1996-2012. Hence, the former Indian captain rolled his arms in the nets and bowled to India's No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara. ALSO READ | 'There will be great understanding and...' - Irfan Pathan confident of Rahul Dravid-Virat Kohli partnership The video was shared on Indian cricket's official Instagram page with the caption, "That moment when #TeamIndia Head Coach Rahul Dravid rolled his arm over in the nets." The priceless clip has soon become the talk of the town and has already garnered over 220k likes on the photo and video sharing platform. Here's the video: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Team India (@indiancricketteam) × ALSO READ | There won't be any unfair treatment: Harbhajan points out changes Rahul Dravid will bring in Team India Ahead of the two-match Test series opener, Pujara opened up on having someone of the stature of Dravid as India's coach. "It will help most of the players, especially young players who have worked with Rahul bhai during U-19 and India A days. Even experienced players like us, I have played with Rahul bhai.I have worked with him during the A series, so all of us are looking forward to his guidance. The amount of experience he has as a player and coach of the team, helps," Pujara said during a press conference. This will be India's first Test series under new coach Dravid. After whitewashing the Kiwis in the three T20Is, the Ajinkya Rahane-led hosts will look to maintain their dominance over the Black Caps and take an unassailable 1-0 lead in the series opener, at Green Park, Kanpur. The first Test begins from November 25 whereas the second and final Test will commence on December 3 in Mumbai.

VIRAL: Team India coach Rahul Dravid resorts to off-spin in nets ahead of 1st Test vs NZ - WATCH

Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid's pairing started off with a bang as India whitewashed New Zealand in the three T20Is. While the two-match Test series between both sides will see Ajinkya Rahane lead in the series opener, regular captain Virat Kohli will join forces with newly-appointed head coach Dravid and hope to form a formidable captain-coach pair in Tests and ODIs.

Ahead of the first Test between India and New Zealand, at Green Park, Kanpur, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan stated that he feels confident of the Dravid-Kohli partnership. Despite their contrasting personalities, Pathan feels there will be great understanding and communication between Dravid and Kohli, who is now India's captain in Test and ODI format.

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Irfan said on Star Sports, "This will be a new partnership between Rahul Dravid as well as Virat Kohli, the captain. Especially in the longer format, I don't see any problem because Rahul Dravid is a kind of guy who likes to come into the system, he doesn't change the system much. Now obviously, he's a very technical - tactical guy but he will not disrupt, he never used to disrupt even when he was captain, he always used to help boost the confidence of the player.&nbsp;

“One thing is for sure, there will be a great understanding and communication in this partnership, along with this youth players will be given as much importance as a senior player gets in the team. I'm not saying that this did not happen before but I have played under Rahul Dravid and this was very noticeable, if there was any young player in the team it was not hard to help them get into the team and it was solely due to Rahul Dravid’s mentality,” he added.

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Before Dravid came into the picture, Kohli formed a strong partnership with Ravi Shastri, Dravid's predecessor. Under Shastri-Kohli, India gained new heights across formats and played the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and final of the inaugural WTC. However, they couldn't win an ICC title. Hence, Dravid will be eager to take India to an ICC trophy along with Kohli in the longer formats and also achieve similar success with T20I captain Rohit.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid's pairing started off with a bang as India whitewashed New Zealand in the three T20Is. While the two-match Test series between both sides will see Ajinkya Rahane lead in the series opener, regular captain Virat Kohli will join forces with newly-appointed head coach Dravid and hope to form a formidable captain-coach pair in Tests and ODIs.

Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid's pairing started off with a bang as India whitewashed New Zealand in the three T20Is. While the two-match Test series between both sides will see Ajinkya Rahane lead in the series opener, regular captain Virat Kohli will join forces with newly-appointed head coach Dravid and hope to form a formidable captain-coach pair in Tests and ODIs. Ahead of the first Test between India and New Zealand, at Green Park, Kanpur, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan stated that he feels confident of the Dravid-Kohli partnership. Despite their contrasting personalities, Pathan feels there will be great understanding and communication between Dravid and Kohli, who is now India's captain in Test and ODI format. ALSO READ | There won't be any unfair treatment: Harbhajan points out changes Rahul Dravid will bring in Team India Irfan said on Star Sports, "This will be a new partnership between Rahul Dravid as well as Virat Kohli, the captain. Especially in the longer format, I don't see any problem because Rahul Dravid is a kind of guy who likes to come into the system, he doesn't change the system much. Now obviously, he's a very technical - tactical guy but he will not disrupt, he never used to disrupt even when he was captain, he always used to help boost the confidence of the player. “One thing is for sure, there will be a great understanding and communication in this partnership, along with this youth players will be given as much importance as a senior player gets in the team. I'm not saying that this did not happen before but I have played under Rahul Dravid and this was very noticeable, if there was any young player in the team it was not hard to help them get into the team and it was solely due to Rahul Dravid’s mentality,” he added. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 1st Test: With Shreyas Iyer set to debut, predicting Team India's XI for series opener in Kanpur Before Dravid came into the picture, Kohli formed a strong partnership with Ravi Shastri, Dravid's predecessor. Under Shastri-Kohli, India gained new heights across formats and played the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and final of the inaugural WTC. However, they couldn't win an ICC title. Hence, Dravid will be eager to take India to an ICC trophy along with Kohli in the longer formats and also achieve similar success with T20I captain Rohit.

'There will be great understanding and...' - Irfan Pathan confident of Rahul Dravid-Virat Kohli partnership

Rahul Dravid has taken over as Team India's head coach from Ravi Shastri after the former Indian all-rounder's tenure came to an end post the T20 World Cup. Under Shastri, India enjoyed considerable success across formats but couldn't end their ICC-trophy drought. Hence, Dravid is expected to turn things around and lead India to an ICC title, with their last major trophy coming in 2013.

Dravid has started with a bang by guiding the Indian team to a 3-0 whitewash over New Zealand in three T20Is. Ahead of the two-match Test series between India and the Black Caps, at home, veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has pointed out what changes one will be able to see in the Dravid-era.

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Speaking to Star Sports, Harbhajan said, "See, the combination will obviously take some time for everyone to adjust to with new things, new processes that Rahul will bring onto the table and I think the triangle of these three is joined to one another, Rahul with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. I think they should be working together and take Indian cricket to new heights."

"With Rahul coming in, I can tell you that players will be given a lot of assurance. Players will be given good chances, there won't be any unfair treatment and you’ll be left out of the team, they will be given proper opportunities and that’s what Rahul Dravid will bring onto the table. He will bring a lot of stability to the team," added Harbhajan.&nbsp;

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Dravid-coached India will take on Kane Williamson-led New Zealand in the two-match Test series opener on Thursday (November 25) in Kanpur. While Ajinkya Rahane-led India will be without many of their key players -- regular captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, etc. -- they will still start as favourites and look to avenge their WTC final loss versus the Kiwis.&nbsp;

For the unversed, Dravid has been appointed as India's coach till 2023 ODI World Cup. Hence, he has quite a big task on his shoulders to end India's ICC-title drought with mega events lined-up in each year.

Rahul Dravid has taken over as Team India's head coach from Ravi Shastri after the former Indian all-rounder's tenure came to an end post the T20 World Cup. Under Shastri, India enjoyed considerable success across formats but couldn't end their ICC-trophy drought.

Rahul Dravid has taken over as Team India's head coach from Ravi Shastri after the former Indian all-rounder's tenure came to an end post the T20 World Cup. Under Shastri, India enjoyed considerable success across formats but couldn't end their ICC-trophy drought. Hence, Dravid is expected to turn things around and lead India to an ICC title, with their last major trophy coming in 2013. Dravid has started with a bang by guiding the Indian team to a 3-0 whitewash over New Zealand in three T20Is. Ahead of the two-match Test series between India and the Black Caps, at home, veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has pointed out what changes one will be able to see in the Dravid-era. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 1st Test live streaming: When and where to watch India vs New Zealand match live online? Speaking to Star Sports, Harbhajan said, "See, the combination will obviously take some time for everyone to adjust to with new things, new processes that Rahul will bring onto the table and I think the triangle of these three is joined to one another, Rahul with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. I think they should be working together and take Indian cricket to new heights." "With Rahul coming in, I can tell you that players will be given a lot of assurance. Players will be given good chances, there won't be any unfair treatment and you’ll be left out of the team, they will be given proper opportunities and that’s what Rahul Dravid will bring onto the table. He will bring a lot of stability to the team," added Harbhajan. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 1st Test: With Shreyas Iyer set to debut, predicting Team India's XI for series opener in Kanpur Dravid-coached India will take on Kane Williamson-led New Zealand in the two-match Test series opener on Thursday (November 25) in Kanpur. While Ajinkya Rahane-led India will be without many of their key players -- regular captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, etc. -- they will still start as favourites and look to avenge their WTC final loss versus the Kiwis. For the unversed, Dravid has been appointed as India's coach till 2023 ODI World Cup. Hence, he has quite a big task on his shoulders to end India's ICC-title drought with mega events lined-up in each year.

There won't be any unfair treatment: Harbhajan points out changes Rahul Dravid will bring in Team India

After the three T20Is, the action will now move to the two-match Test series between India and New Zealand. The series opener will commence on Thursday (November 25) with Ajinkya Rahane-led India to lock horns with the Kane Williamson-led Black Caps at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.

The Test series will be India's first under new head coach Rahul Dravid. While the former Indian captain had a memorable start to his stint as the head coach with a 3-0 whitewash of the Kiwis in the T20Is, he will know that it won't be a cakewalk for the home side to beat the inaugural WTC winners. While India are missing some of their regulars in the squad such as captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, etc., they will start as favourites due to their dominant home record but NZ have enough firepower to challenge them.

NZ will depend on Williamson, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls and have enough variety in their bowling line-up with Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner along with able all-rounders such as Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, etc. From India's perspective, the series opener will give a chance to the likes of Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer, etc. to continue their good work and make further statement in home conditions.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-nz-1st-test-prediction-who-will-win-series-opener-between-india-and-new-zealand-in-kanpur-431566">IND vs NZ, 1st Test prediction: Who will win series opener between India and New Zealand in Kanpur?</a>

Let's take a look at the means on how to live stream or view the match:

Where is India vs New Zealand 1st Test match taking place?

The India vs New Zealand 1st Test&nbsp;match will take place at the Green Park Stadium, Kanpur.

What time does India vs New Zealand 1st Test match begin?

The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match begins at 9:30 PM IST on Thursday (November 25).

How to watch live coverage of India vs New Zealand 1st Test on TV?

The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match will be aired live on Star Sports channels (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports 1 Telugu, and Star Sports 1 Kannada).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-nz-1st-test-with-shreyas-iyer-set-to-debut-predicting-team-indias-xi-for-series-opener-in-kanpur-431578">IND vs NZ, 1st Test: With Shreyas Iyer set to debut, predicting Team India's XI for series opener in Kanpur</a>

How to watch live coverage of India vs New Zealand 1st Test on the live streaming?

The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match will be available to stream live on the Hotstar.

After the three T20Is, the action will now move to the two-match Test series between India and New Zealand. The series opener will commence on Thursday (November 25) with Ajinkya Rahane-led India to lock horns with the Kane Williamson-led Black Caps at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.

After the three T20Is, the action will now move to the two-match Test series between India and New Zealand. The series opener will commence on Thursday (November 25) with Ajinkya Rahane-led India to lock horns with the Kane Williamson-led Black Caps at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur. The Test series will be India's first under new head coach Rahul Dravid. While the former Indian captain had a memorable start to his stint as the head coach with a 3-0 whitewash of the Kiwis in the T20Is, he will know that it won't be a cakewalk for the home side to beat the inaugural WTC winners. While India are missing some of their regulars in the squad such as captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, etc., they will start as favourites due to their dominant home record but NZ have enough firepower to challenge them. NZ will depend on Williamson, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls and have enough variety in their bowling line-up with Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner along with able all-rounders such as Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, etc. From India's perspective, the series opener will give a chance to the likes of Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer, etc. to continue their good work and make further statement in home conditions. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 1st Test prediction: Who will win series opener between India and New Zealand in Kanpur? Let's take a look at the means on how to live stream or view the match: Where is India vs New Zealand 1st Test match taking place? The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match will take place at the Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. What time does India vs New Zealand 1st Test match begin? The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match begins at 9:30 PM IST on Thursday (November 25). How to watch live coverage of India vs New Zealand 1st Test on TV? The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match will be aired live on Star Sports channels (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports 1 Telugu, and Star Sports 1 Kannada). ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 1st Test: With Shreyas Iyer set to debut, predicting Team India's XI for series opener in Kanpur How to watch live coverage of India vs New Zealand 1st Test on the live streaming? The India vs New Zealand 1st Test match will be available to stream live on the Hotstar.

IND vs NZ, 1st Test live streaming: When and where to watch India vs New Zealand match live online?

After the three-match T20I series, the action between India and New Zealand will now move to the two-match Test series, starting from Thursday (November 25) at The Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. The series will be part of the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) and, hence, both sides will look to walk away with vital points.

For India, they are without some of their regulars in the format. The regular skipper Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant have been rested whereas KL Rahul was ruled out of the series, on Tuesday, due to a muscle strain on his left thigh. Thus, Ajinkya Rahane will once again take over the captaincy responsibilities with Cheteshwar Pujara as his deputy.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-v-nz-1st-test-going-to-be-different-challenge-to-what-we-get-back-home-says-kyle-jamieson-431539">IND v NZ, 1st Test: Going to be different challenge to what we get back home, says Kyle Jamieson</a>

Rahane will once again be leading a second-stringed Indian team, where the onus will be on Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer (who has been confirmed to make his debut), Wriddihman Saha, Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, R Ashwin etc. On the other hand, New Zealand will see the return of Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls&nbsp;in action whereas Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell Santner, etc. will form a formidable line-up of the Kiwis.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahul-ruled-out-of-nz-tests-due-to-injury-suryakumar-yadav-named-replacement-431388">KL Rahul ruled out of NZ Tests due to injury, Suryakumar Yadav named replacement</a>

The challenge for the Kiwis will be to adjust to the contrasting conditions and SG ball on offer in India. If their spinners can match the Indian spin trio -- Jadeja, Axar and Ashwin -- the match will surely go down the wire. Nonetheless, as Rahul Dravid-coached hosts haven't lost a series at home since 2012, they will still commence as overwhelming favourites.&nbsp;

Match prediction for 1st Test:&nbsp;There hasn't been much update regarding the nature of the surface expected in Kanpur. Nonetheless, it is expected to aid the batters before the spinners come into play from Day 3 onwards. The pacers will have to do the hard yards as the game progresses to provide breakthroughs at regular intervals. While the Indian team is without some of their star performers, Kiwis will like to make the most of their opposition's inexperience and make early inroads. However, India will still be favourites and are expected to go 1-0 up. Nonetheless, it also won't be a cakewalk for the home side versus the inaugural WTC winners.

After the three-match T20I series, the action between India and New Zealand will now move to the two-match Test series, starting from Thursday (November 25) at The Green Park Stadium, Kanpur.

After the three-match T20I series, the action between India and New Zealand will now move to the two-match Test series, starting from Thursday (November 25) at The Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. The series will be part of the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) and, hence, both sides will look to walk away with vital points. For India, they are without some of their regulars in the format. The regular skipper Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant have been rested whereas KL Rahul was ruled out of the series, on Tuesday, due to a muscle strain on his left thigh. Thus, Ajinkya Rahane will once again take over the captaincy responsibilities with Cheteshwar Pujara as his deputy. ALSO READ | IND v NZ, 1st Test: Going to be different challenge to what we get back home, says Kyle Jamieson Rahane will once again be leading a second-stringed Indian team, where the onus will be on Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer (who has been confirmed to make his debut), Wriddihman Saha, Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, R Ashwin etc. On the other hand, New Zealand will see the return of Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls in action whereas Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell Santner, etc. will form a formidable line-up of the Kiwis. ALSO READ | KL Rahul ruled out of NZ Tests due to injury, Suryakumar Yadav named replacement The challenge for the Kiwis will be to adjust to the contrasting conditions and SG ball on offer in India. If their spinners can match the Indian spin trio -- Jadeja, Axar and Ashwin -- the match will surely go down the wire. Nonetheless, as Rahul Dravid-coached hosts haven't lost a series at home since 2012, they will still commence as overwhelming favourites. Match prediction for 1st Test: There hasn't been much update regarding the nature of the surface expected in Kanpur. Nonetheless, it is expected to aid the batters before the spinners come into play from Day 3 onwards. The pacers will have to do the hard yards as the game progresses to provide breakthroughs at regular intervals. While the Indian team is without some of their star performers, Kiwis will like to make the most of their opposition's inexperience and make early inroads. However, India will still be favourites and are expected to go 1-0 up. Nonetheless, it also won't be a cakewalk for the home side versus the inaugural WTC winners.

IND vs NZ, 1st Test prediction: Who will win series opener between India and New Zealand in Kanpur?

Rohit Sharma-led Team India thrashed New Zealand 3-0 in the three T20Is. Following the T20 World Cup debacle, the Men in Blue beat the Black Caps to kick off a new era in Indian cricket. Post the T20 WC, there have been wholesome changes in the Indian cricket with head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar stepping aside from their respective posts.&nbsp;

Hence, Rahul Dravid has stepped in as the head coach whereas Rohit took over from Virat Kohli as India's captain in the shortest format. In Dravid-Rohit's first assignment, India emerged on top of the Kiwis and whitewashed the T20 WC 2021's runners-up. However, Dravid won hearts when he recently praised the Kiwis and said that it was always going to be tough on them to prepare and fight in&nbsp;the bilateral T20Is, after getting only a three-day gap post the&nbsp;World Cup final.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahul-ruled-out-of-nz-tests-due-to-injury-suryakumar-yadav-named-replacement-431388">KL Rahul ruled out of NZ Tests due to injury, Suryakumar Yadav named replacement</a>

Dravid told broadcasters Star Sports after the third T20I in Kolkata, "We have to keep our feet on the ground and be realistic, especially with bigger things down the line in the next 12 months. It's not easy for New Zealand to play a World Cup final, turn up three days later, and play three games in six days. We knew it was never going to be easy on them."

Hence, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has lavished praise on Dravid. Speaking on his Youtube channel, Butt said, "It only reflects utmost clarity and humility. And very realistic and professional talk because India did win but the other team just came from a World Cup final and hence it is not easy to mentally prepare for another international series so fast. They (New Zealand) also lost the toss. When you play so much international cricket, there is a difference in intensity as well. So he did take all these factors into account when making that statement. Yes India tested their bench strength, there was a new captain, new coach and they managed to win. But he is keeping them in line for the hunt. The actual target is the next target which will be in the next 10 months. So this is absolutely the correct and needed approach."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-easy-for-nz-to-rahul-dravid-sympathises-with-black-caps-after-india-whitewash-t20i-series-431220">'Not easy for NZ to...' - Rahul Dravid sympathises with Black Caps after India whitewash T20I series</a>

Post the T20Is, India will now look to dominate the Kane Williamson-led Kiwis in the two-match Test series, starting from November 25 (Thursday) in Kanpur. The first Test will see Ajinkya Rahane lead the side whereas regular captain Virat Kohli is expected to join forces with head coach Dravid for the second and final Test, which will be held at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on December 3.

Rohit Sharma-led Team India thrashed New Zealand 3-0 in the three T20Is. Following the T20 World Cup debacle, the Men in Blue beat the Black Caps to kick off a new era in Indian cricket.

Rohit Sharma-led Team India thrashed New Zealand 3-0 in the three T20Is. Following the T20 World Cup debacle, the Men in Blue beat the Black Caps to kick off a new era in Indian cricket. Post the T20 WC, there have been wholesome changes in the Indian cricket with head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar stepping aside from their respective posts. Hence, Rahul Dravid has stepped in as the head coach whereas Rohit took over from Virat Kohli as India's captain in the shortest format. In Dravid-Rohit's first assignment, India emerged on top of the Kiwis and whitewashed the T20 WC 2021's runners-up. However, Dravid won hearts when he recently praised the Kiwis and said that it was always going to be tough on them to prepare and fight in the bilateral T20Is, after getting only a three-day gap post the World Cup final. ALSO READ | KL Rahul ruled out of NZ Tests due to injury, Suryakumar Yadav named replacement Dravid told broadcasters Star Sports after the third T20I in Kolkata, "We have to keep our feet on the ground and be realistic, especially with bigger things down the line in the next 12 months. It's not easy for New Zealand to play a World Cup final, turn up three days later, and play three games in six days. We knew it was never going to be easy on them." Hence, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has lavished praise on Dravid. Speaking on his Youtube channel, Butt said, "It only reflects utmost clarity and humility. And very realistic and professional talk because India did win but the other team just came from a World Cup final and hence it is not easy to mentally prepare for another international series so fast. They (New Zealand) also lost the toss. When you play so much international cricket, there is a difference in intensity as well. So he did take all these factors into account when making that statement. Yes India tested their bench strength, there was a new captain, new coach and they managed to win. But he is keeping them in line for the hunt. The actual target is the next target which will be in the next 10 months. So this is absolutely the correct and needed approach." ALSO READ | 'Not easy for NZ to...' - Rahul Dravid sympathises with Black Caps after India whitewash T20I series Post the T20Is, India will now look to dominate the Kane Williamson-led Kiwis in the two-match Test series, starting from November 25 (Thursday) in Kanpur. The first Test will see Ajinkya Rahane lead the side whereas regular captain Virat Kohli is expected to join forces with head coach Dravid for the second and final Test, which will be held at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on December 3.

Former Pak captain praises Rahul Dravid for his 'was never going to be easy on NZ' remark post T20I series

India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes that new head coach Rahul Dravid's extensive expertise in the longer format would help the Test squad improve as a team.

Following a thrashing T20I series triumph over New Zealand, India, coached by Dravid, will play New Zealand in a two-match Test series beginning on Thursday. According to Pujara, Dravid, who has played 164 Tests for India, would provide valuable mentoring to the young guns.

"After the WTC we all were hurt but we came back strongly in England and we played very good cricket. Now the team is back together, confident and new coach Rahul bhai is there,"&nbsp;Pujara&nbsp;said&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;virtual&nbsp;news&nbsp;conference.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mayank-or-gill-cheteshwar-pujara-reveals-which-indian-batter-will-be-in-playing-xi-for-1st-test-vs-nz-431379">Mayank or Gill? Cheteshwar Pujara reveals which Indian batter will be in playing XI for 1st Test vs NZ</a>

"That will help most of the players, especially the young players, who have worked with Rahul bhai during the Under-19 and India A series."

"And even someone like us, who are experienced players. I have played with Rahul bhai and worked with Rahul bhai during the A series. All of us are looking for his guidance. The amount of experience he has as a player and coach that will help the team," he added.

Pujara is unconcerned about the New Zealand pace attack since he previously withstood it in 2017. "We have our strategies prepared against Neil Wagner and we have also played him in 2017, so we know how he bowls in Indian conditions so we will plan accordingly," Pujara added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahul-ruled-out-of-nz-tests-due-to-injury-suryakumar-yadav-named-replacement-431388">KL Rahul ruled out of NZ Tests due to injury, Suryakumar Yadav named replacement</a>

The India hitter is an important gear in the Indian team's batting wheel, but he has yet to achieve a Test century in recent years.

"I have been scoring runs, the 50s, 80s or 90s. I've not scored a ton but I am not worried about it as long as I keep batting well and contributing to the team`s total. My focus is giving best for the team," he signed off.

India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes that new head coach Rahul Dravid's extensive expertise in the longer format would help the Test squad improve as a team. Following a thrashing T20I series triumph over New Zealand, India, coached by Dravid, will play New Zealand in a two-match Test series beginning on Thursday.

India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes that new head coach Rahul Dravid's extensive expertise in the longer format would help the Test squad improve as a team. Following a thrashing T20I series triumph over New Zealand, India, coached by Dravid, will play New Zealand in a two-match Test series beginning on Thursday. According to Pujara, Dravid, who has played 164 Tests for India, would provide valuable mentoring to the young guns. "After the WTC we all were hurt but we came back strongly in England and we played very good cricket. Now the team is back together, confident and new coach Rahul bhai is there," Pujara said at the virtual news conference. ALSO READ: Mayank or Gill? Cheteshwar Pujara reveals which Indian batter will be in playing XI for 1st Test vs NZ "That will help most of the players, especially the young players, who have worked with Rahul bhai during the Under-19 and India A series." "And even someone like us, who are experienced players. I have played with Rahul bhai and worked with Rahul bhai during the A series. All of us are looking for his guidance. The amount of experience he has as a player and coach that will help the team," he added. Pujara is unconcerned about the New Zealand pace attack since he previously withstood it in 2017. "We have our strategies prepared against Neil Wagner and we have also played him in 2017, so we know how he bowls in Indian conditions so we will plan accordingly," Pujara added. ALSO READ: KL Rahul ruled out of NZ Tests due to injury, Suryakumar Yadav named replacement The India hitter is an important gear in the Indian team's batting wheel, but he has yet to achieve a Test century in recent years. "I have been scoring runs, the 50s, 80s or 90s. I've not scored a ton but I am not worried about it as long as I keep batting well and contributing to the team`s total. My focus is giving best for the team," he signed off.

Rahul Dravid's experience will help India recover after WTC final loss: Cheteshwar Pujara

Team India had a flawless outing in the third and final T20I versus New Zealand on Sunday evening (November 21) at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Rohit Sharma-led India walked into the final encounter with an unassailable 2-0 lead and aimed for a whitewash. The Men in Blue succeeded in clean sweeping the Kiwis as they won the last T20I by a whopping 73-run margin.

Opting to bat first, Rohit-led India posted a competitive 184-7, riding on skipper's 56 and vital contributions from Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar. In reply, NZ folded for a paltry 111 in 17.2 overs as none apart from Martin Guptill (51) looked comfortable in the middle. Hence, India had a clinical game with all their departments contributing in the win.

In terms of fielding, the hosts were right on the money as well. Ishan Kishan, who usually dons the wicketkeeper's gloves, inflicted a direct hit from the deep to dismiss stand-in captain Mitchell Santner. Ishan's efforts was lauded by the spectators whereas newly-appointed head coach Rahul Dravid gave a pat on the back of fielding coach T Dilip, who has succeeded R Sridhar. Check out the video:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-often-let-ms-dhoni-handle-bharat-arun-opines-on-smooth-captaincy-transition-between-duo-431347">'Virat Kohli often let MS Dhoni handle...': Bharat Arun opines on smooth captaincy transition between duo</a>

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/team-indias-limited-overs-specialist-suryakumar-yadav-likely-to-join-test-squad-for-nz-series-report-431253">Team India's limited-overs specialist Suryakumar Yadav likely to join Test squad for NZ series: Report</a>

After a terrific T20I series, the Indian team will now shift their focus to the two-match Test series versus the Black Caps. The series opener will be held in Kanpur from November 25 whereas the second and final Test will be held in Mumbai, from December 3.

India's squad for the 1st Test is as follows:

Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Md. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

The big guns such as regular captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, etc. are expected to return to the squad for the final Test.

Team India had a flawless outing in the third and final T20I versus New Zealand on Sunday evening (November 21) at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Rohit Sharma-led India walked into the final encounter with an unassailable 2-0 lead and aimed for a whitewash.

Team India had a flawless outing in the third and final T20I versus New Zealand on Sunday evening (November 21) at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Rohit Sharma-led India walked into the final encounter with an unassailable 2-0 lead and aimed for a whitewash. The Men in Blue succeeded in clean sweeping the Kiwis as they won the last T20I by a whopping 73-run margin. Opting to bat first, Rohit-led India posted a competitive 184-7, riding on skipper's 56 and vital contributions from Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar. In reply, NZ folded for a paltry 111 in 17.2 overs as none apart from Martin Guptill (51) looked comfortable in the middle. Hence, India had a clinical game with all their departments contributing in the win. In terms of fielding, the hosts were right on the money as well. Ishan Kishan, who usually dons the wicketkeeper's gloves, inflicted a direct hit from the deep to dismiss stand-in captain Mitchell Santner. Ishan's efforts was lauded by the spectators whereas newly-appointed head coach Rahul Dravid gave a pat on the back of fielding coach T Dilip, who has succeeded R Sridhar. Check out the video: ALSO READ | 'Virat Kohli often let MS Dhoni handle...': Bharat Arun opines on smooth captaincy transition between duo pic.twitter.com/2lbE7v454f — pant shirt fc (@pant_fc) November 22, 2021 × ALSO READ | Team India's limited-overs specialist Suryakumar Yadav likely to join Test squad for NZ series: Report After a terrific T20I series, the Indian team will now shift their focus to the two-match Test series versus the Black Caps. The series opener will be held in Kanpur from November 25 whereas the second and final Test will be held in Mumbai, from December 3. India's squad for the 1st Test is as follows: Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Md. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna The big guns such as regular captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, etc. are expected to return to the squad for the final Test.

WATCH: Rahul Dravid applauds fielding coach after Ishan Kishan's direct hit dismisses NZ's Mitchell Santner

India and New Zealand squared off for the third and final T20I on Sunday evening (November 21) with Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. eager to inflict a clean sweep on the second-stringed Black Caps. The Men in Blue succeeded eventually as they won the dead rubber by a whopping 73-run margin at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata.&nbsp;

Batting first, Rohit-led India posted a competitive 184-7&nbsp;in 20 overs riding on Captain Rohit's 56 and contributions from Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar's finishing knock. While New Zealand was never in the run-chase, despite Martin Guptill's attacking 51, the Kiwis folded for a paltry 111 all-out in 17.2 overs as Axar Patel's 3-fer and Harshal's 2 for 26 thrashed the visitors.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nonetheless, the Kiwis did have their moments during India's batting. After a solid start from Rohit-Ishan, India did lose quick wickets and were reduced to 83-3, from 69 for no loss, when Rohit and Shreyas stitched a partnership for the third-wicket. Against the run of play, Rohit tried to take on Ish Sodhi but the leg-spinner managed to dismiss the dangerous Hitman with a splendid and effortless one-handed stunner.&nbsp;

The ball didn't bounce as expected and Rohit couldn't get the desired timing, as the ball hit his bottom of the bat, to give Sodhi a catching opportunity. While the ball still raced towards the leg-spinner, he responded in style to pluck a stunning return catch. Here's the video:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indvsnz-3rd-t20i-rohit-sharma-and-axar-patel-help-india-thrash-new-zealand-by-73-runs-whitewash-series-431044">INDvsNZ, 3rd T20I: Rohit Sharma and Axar Patel help India thrash New Zealand by 73 runs, whitewash series</a>

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What a catch on his own bowling!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sodhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sodhi</a> took <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RohitSharma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RohitSharma</a> single handedly! 
Well played <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> 👏👏👏👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvIND</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZvsIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZvsIND</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvNZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvsNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvsNZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> <a href="https://t.co/5LZXDWZEn5">pic.twitter.com/5LZXDWZEn5</a>
— BlueCap 🇮🇳 (@IndianzCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianzCricket/status/1462429702665093122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Ish sodhi's wonderful catch to remove rohit <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDVsNZT20?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDVsNZT20</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/indvsnz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#indvsnz</a> <a href="https://t.co/JyKO6RrHVv">pic.twitter.com/JyKO6RrHVv</a>
— WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS (@RISHItweets123) <a href="https://twitter.com/RISHItweets123/status/1462474038677172226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kamran-akmal-praises-team-indias-performance-during-nz-series-hails-brilliant-captaincy-from-rohit-sharma-431060">Kamran Akmal praises team India's performance during NZ series, hails 'brilliant' captaincy from Rohit Sharma</a>

After the 3-0 whitewash of the Kiwis, Captain Rohit reflected on the series win and stated at the post-match presentation, "It's important to start well. That's always been my mindset. Once you've seen the pitch you know what you've got to do. It was nicely coming onto the bat with the dew coming early. We had something planned as a batting group. Wouldn't say it worked out well. Room for improvement in the middle order. The batting front - KL missed out today but his form is critical. Middle order didn't get much opportunity except today. The spinners did the job for us in the entire series. The way Ashwin bowled, Axar. And how Chahal came back. Good to see Venkatesh Iyer bowling those overs with the skills he has. Important for us going forward. I would prefer that going forward .. teams around the world bat deep till No.8, No.9."

India and New Zealand squared off for the third and final T20I on Sunday evening (November 21) with Rohit Sharma & Co. eager to inflict a clean sweep on the second-stringed Black Caps.

India and New Zealand squared off for the third and final T20I on Sunday evening (November 21) with Rohit Sharma & Co. eager to inflict a clean sweep on the second-stringed Black Caps. The Men in Blue succeeded eventually as they won the dead rubber by a whopping 73-run margin at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Batting first, Rohit-led India posted a competitive 184-7 in 20 overs riding on Captain Rohit's 56 and contributions from Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar's finishing knock. While New Zealand was never in the run-chase, despite Martin Guptill's attacking 51, the Kiwis folded for a paltry 111 all-out in 17.2 overs as Axar Patel's 3-fer and Harshal's 2 for 26 thrashed the visitors. Nonetheless, the Kiwis did have their moments during India's batting. After a solid start from Rohit-Ishan, India did lose quick wickets and were reduced to 83-3, from 69 for no loss, when Rohit and Shreyas stitched a partnership for the third-wicket. Against the run of play, Rohit tried to take on Ish Sodhi but the leg-spinner managed to dismiss the dangerous Hitman with a splendid and effortless one-handed stunner. The ball didn't bounce as expected and Rohit couldn't get the desired timing, as the ball hit his bottom of the bat, to give Sodhi a catching opportunity. While the ball still raced towards the leg-spinner, he responded in style to pluck a stunning return catch. Here's the video: ALSO READ | INDvsNZ, 3rd T20I: Rohit Sharma and Axar Patel help India thrash New Zealand by 73 runs, whitewash series What a catch on his own bowling!#Sodhi took #RohitSharma single handedly! Well played @ImRo45 👏👏👏👏#NZvIND #NZvsIND #INDvNZ #INDvsNZ #Cricket pic.twitter.com/5LZXDWZEn5 — BlueCap 🇮🇳 (@IndianzCricket) November 21, 2021 × Ish sodhi's wonderful catch to remove rohit #INDVsNZT20 #indvsnz pic.twitter.com/JyKO6RrHVv — WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS (@RISHItweets123) November 21, 2021 × ALSO READ | Kamran Akmal praises team India's performance during NZ series, hails 'brilliant' captaincy from Rohit Sharma After the 3-0 whitewash of the Kiwis, Captain Rohit reflected on the series win and stated at the post-match presentation, "It's important to start well. That's always been my mindset. Once you've seen the pitch you know what you've got to do. It was nicely coming onto the bat with the dew coming early. We had something planned as a batting group. Wouldn't say it worked out well. Room for improvement in the middle order. The batting front - KL missed out today but his form is critical. Middle order didn't get much opportunity except today. The spinners did the job for us in the entire series. The way Ashwin bowled, Axar. And how Chahal came back. Good to see Venkatesh Iyer bowling those overs with the skills he has. Important for us going forward. I would prefer that going forward .. teams around the world bat deep till No.8, No.9."

WATCH - Ish Sodhi takes an effortless one-handed stunner to send Rohit Sharma packing in 3rd T20I

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has his say on the ex-head coach of the national men's team, Ravi Shastri, whose tenure ended after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021.&nbsp;

Shastri has been succeeded by former India captain Rahul Dravid, who took the charge during India's three-match T20I home series against New Zealand, which India won 3-0.&nbsp;

At the time of his departure as the head coach of India, Shastri hailed the players, including the support staff as he said that the Indian team during his tenure was "one of the great teams that have played the game". The statement didn't sit well with the cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir.&nbsp;

IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-john-the-bookmaker-to-paines-sexting-controversies-that-have-tainted-australian-cricket-since-1981-430763#tim-paines-sexting-scandal-430745">From 'John' the bookmaker to Paine's sexting: Controversies that have tainted Australian cricket since 1981</a>

"The one thing I found surprising is that when you play well, you don't usually boast about it. It's fine if others talk about it; when we won the 2011 World Cup, no one gave statements saying that this team is the best in the world, let alone country," Gambhir said on Times Now Navbharat.&nbsp;

"When you win, let others talk about it. You won in Australia, that's a big achievement no doubt. You won in England, performed well, no doubt. But let others praise you. You won't hear such statements from Rahul Dravid. Whether India play good or bad, his statements will always remain balanced. Moreover, it will reflect on other players," said the former Indian opener.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sportspersons-are-human-stop-the-judgement-shane-warne-defends-tim-paine-over-sexting-scandal-431025">'Sportspersons are human. Stop the judgement': Shane Warne defends Tim Paine over sexting scandal</a>

"Humility is very important, whether you play good or bad. Cricket won't go on forever. I think Dravid's major focus will be on players being good people first," Gambhir added.&nbsp;

In Shastri-era, Team India became the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia (2018-19) and triumphed again Down Under in 2020-21. In the leadership of a prolific skipper Virat Kohli, India climbed to the top of the Test rankings and reached the final of this year's inaugural World Test Championship, where they were beaten by New Zealand.

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has his say on the ex-head coach of the national men's team, Ravi Shastri, whose tenure ended after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021.

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has his say on the ex-head coach of the national men's team, Ravi Shastri, whose tenure ended after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021. Shastri has been succeeded by former India captain Rahul Dravid, who took the charge during India's three-match T20I home series against New Zealand, which India won 3-0. At the time of his departure as the head coach of India, Shastri hailed the players, including the support staff as he said that the Indian team during his tenure was "one of the great teams that have played the game". The statement didn't sit well with the cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir. IN PICS | From 'John' the bookmaker to Paine's sexting: Controversies that have tainted Australian cricket since 1981 "The one thing I found surprising is that when you play well, you don't usually boast about it. It's fine if others talk about it; when we won the 2011 World Cup, no one gave statements saying that this team is the best in the world, let alone country," Gambhir said on Times Now Navbharat. "When you win, let others talk about it. You won in Australia, that's a big achievement no doubt. You won in England, performed well, no doubt. But let others praise you. You won't hear such statements from Rahul Dravid. Whether India play good or bad, his statements will always remain balanced. Moreover, it will reflect on other players," said the former Indian opener. ALSO READ | 'Sportspersons are human. Stop the judgement': Shane Warne defends Tim Paine over sexting scandal "Humility is very important, whether you play good or bad. Cricket won't go on forever. I think Dravid's major focus will be on players being good people first," Gambhir added. In Shastri-era, Team India became the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia (2018-19) and triumphed again Down Under in 2020-21. In the leadership of a prolific skipper Virat Kohli, India climbed to the top of the Test rankings and reached the final of this year's inaugural World Test Championship, where they were beaten by New Zealand.

'Dravid's statements will always remain balanced': Gautam Gambhir's staunch criticism for Ravi Shastri

Rohit Sharma-led Team India demolished the second-stringed New Zealand side in the just-concluded T20Is at home, on Sunday evening (November 21). Taking an unassailable lead in the series post their win in the second and penultimate encounter, India went onto beat the Black Caps by a whopping 73-run margin at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata to seal the series 3-0.

While there were many positives for India, Suryakumar Yadav also played his part with a match-winning 62 (40) in the series opener. The right-hander did struggle in the last two outings, returning with scores of 1 and 0 respectively, but he is now likely to join the Ajinkya Rahane-led Test line-up for the upcoming two-match series versus the Kiwis.&nbsp;

"Suryakumar will be making a comeback to the Test team. He will join India’s Test team in Kanpur from Kolkata," a source told Mid-Day on Monday. For the unversed, the Mumbai Indians' (MI) star batsman was part of the Virat Kohli-led Indian Test team during their five-match series versus England, in the United Kingdom, but failed to get a game in the purest format. It will be interesting to see if the Rahul Dravid-led team management ropes him in the Test squad&nbsp;and gives him a game in the upcoming two matches.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-youre-trying-to-do-something-for-the-team-it-will-never-go-unnoticed-says-rohit-sharma-post-nz-t20is-431248">If you're trying to do something for the team, it will never go unnoticed, says Rohit Sharma post NZ T20Is</a>

The Indian team for the first Test doesn't include some big names, such as regular captain Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, etc. Hence, Surya can get a chance in the series opener or even in the final encounter. However, the regulars are expected to return to the squad by then.&nbsp;

India squad for the 1st Test vs New Zealand

Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Md. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-easy-for-nz-to-rahul-dravid-sympathises-with-black-caps-after-india-whitewash-t20i-series-431220">'Not easy for NZ to...' - Rahul Dravid sympathises with Black Caps after India whitewash T20I series</a>

The upcoming Tests will give India another chance to move ahead in the points table in the ongoing second cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC). They had lost the coveted title to New Zealand in the summit clash of the inaugural WTC in mid-June early this year, in Southampton. Hence, the hosts have all to play for in the NZ Tests.

Rohit Sharma-led Team India demolished the second-stringed New Zealand side in the just-concluded T20Is at home, on Sunday evening (November 21). Taking an unassailable lead in the series post their win in the second and penultimate encounter, India went onto beat the Black Caps by a whopping 73-run margin at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata to seal the series 3-0.

Rohit Sharma-led Team India demolished the second-stringed New Zealand side in the just-concluded T20Is at home, on Sunday evening (November 21). Taking an unassailable lead in the series post their win in the second and penultimate encounter, India went onto beat the Black Caps by a whopping 73-run margin at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata to seal the series 3-0. While there were many positives for India, Suryakumar Yadav also played his part with a match-winning 62 (40) in the series opener. The right-hander did struggle in the last two outings, returning with scores of 1 and 0 respectively, but he is now likely to join the Ajinkya Rahane-led Test line-up for the upcoming two-match series versus the Kiwis. "Suryakumar will be making a comeback to the Test team. He will join India’s Test team in Kanpur from Kolkata," a source told Mid-Day on Monday. For the unversed, the Mumbai Indians' (MI) star batsman was part of the Virat Kohli-led Indian Test team during their five-match series versus England, in the United Kingdom, but failed to get a game in the purest format. It will be interesting to see if the Rahul Dravid-led team management ropes him in the Test squad and gives him a game in the upcoming two matches. ALSO READ | If you're trying to do something for the team, it will never go unnoticed, says Rohit Sharma post NZ T20Is The Indian team for the first Test doesn't include some big names, such as regular captain Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, etc. Hence, Surya can get a chance in the series opener or even in the final encounter. However, the regulars are expected to return to the squad by then. India squad for the 1st Test vs New Zealand Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Md. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna ALSO READ | 'Not easy for NZ to...' - Rahul Dravid sympathises with Black Caps after India whitewash T20I series The upcoming Tests will give India another chance to move ahead in the points table in the ongoing second cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC). They had lost the coveted title to New Zealand in the summit clash of the inaugural WTC in mid-June early this year, in Southampton. Hence, the hosts have all to play for in the NZ Tests.

Team India's limited-overs specialist Suryakumar Yadav likely to join Test squad for NZ series: Report

Rohit Sharma-led India whitewashed New Zealand in the three T20Is by winning the third and final encounter by a whopping 73-run margin at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday evening (November 21). Thus, the national side entered the new era, under head coach Rahul Dravid, in style whereas Rohit also got off to an emphatic start as a T20I captain.

Post the 3-0 scoreline, where the hosts had plenty of positives, Rohit reflected on the kind of team culture Dravid and he are looking to develop within the side. "We're trying to create a healthy atmosphere in the team, trying to give players the security so that they can go out and play fearlessly. The first meeting that we had, we spoke of this very clearly to all the players that if you're trying to do something for the team, that act will never go unnoticed,” said Rohit during the post-match press conference on Sunday.&nbsp;

"It will always be recognised when you're trying to put up your hand and take the pressure on yourself and try to do something for the team. That is the job of the captain and the coach to tell the players that we do understand what you're trying to do for the team, you go and take your chances,” he further explained.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-easy-for-nz-to-rahul-dravid-sympathises-with-black-caps-after-india-whitewash-t20i-series-431220">'Not easy for NZ to...' - Rahul Dravid sympathises with Black Caps after India whitewash T20I series</a>

Talking about Rohit's performances, he was at his usual best with the bat and as a leader. With the willow, he returned with scores of 48, 55 and 56 to walk away with the Player-of-the-Tournament award. The right-hander will now shift his focus to the two-match Test series versus the Black Caps, starting from November 25 at Kanpur. While Hitman won't be seen in action in the series opener, as he has been rested, it is expected that he will comeback for the final Test, which will be held at his home ground i.e. the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai from December 3-7.

Rohit Sharma-led India whitewashed New Zealand in the three T20Is by winning the third and final encounter by a whopping 73-run margin at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday evening (November 21).

Rohit Sharma-led India whitewashed New Zealand in the three T20Is by winning the third and final encounter by a whopping 73-run margin at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday evening (November 21). Thus, the national side entered the new era, under head coach Rahul Dravid, in style whereas Rohit also got off to an emphatic start as a T20I captain. Post the 3-0 scoreline, where the hosts had plenty of positives, Rohit reflected on the kind of team culture Dravid and he are looking to develop within the side. "We're trying to create a healthy atmosphere in the team, trying to give players the security so that they can go out and play fearlessly. The first meeting that we had, we spoke of this very clearly to all the players that if you're trying to do something for the team, that act will never go unnoticed,” said Rohit during the post-match press conference on Sunday. "It will always be recognised when you're trying to put up your hand and take the pressure on yourself and try to do something for the team. That is the job of the captain and the coach to tell the players that we do understand what you're trying to do for the team, you go and take your chances,” he further explained. ALSO READ | 'Not easy for NZ to...' - Rahul Dravid sympathises with Black Caps after India whitewash T20I series Talking about Rohit's performances, he was at his usual best with the bat and as a leader. With the willow, he returned with scores of 48, 55 and 56 to walk away with the Player-of-the-Tournament award. The right-hander will now shift his focus to the two-match Test series versus the Black Caps, starting from November 25 at Kanpur. While Hitman won't be seen in action in the series opener, as he has been rested, it is expected that he will comeback for the final Test, which will be held at his home ground i.e. the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai from December 3-7.

If you're trying to do something for the team, it will never go unnoticed, says Rohit Sharma post NZ T20Is

India and New Zealand locked horns with each other in the third and final T20I at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday evening (November 21). After taking an unassailable lead in the three T20Is, the Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue gave opportunities to more players and tested themselves by batting first as the hosts do not have a great record when it comes to defending totals.&nbsp;

Batting first, Rohit's 56 and vital contributions from the likes of Ishan Kishan, Shreyas and Venkatesh Iyer, Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar propelled India's total to 184-7 in 20 overs. In reply, the Mitchell Santner-led Black Caps folded for a paltry 111 in 17.2 overs as Harshal and Axar Patel combined to take five wickets and derail the T20 World Cup finalists' run-chase.

The Rahul Dravid-coached team, thus, ended the series on a high with sparkling performances from many, in the form of Rohit, KL Rahul, Harshal, Axar, Deepak, R Ashwin, etc. Nonetheless, the former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra isn't impressed with one Indian youngster post the NZ series. For the unversed, Rishabh Pant registered scores of 17*, 12*, and 4 in the three-match series against the Black Caps and, hence, Chopra pointed out that the 24-year-old didn't look at his usual best.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-easy-for-nz-to-rahul-dravid-sympathises-with-black-caps-after-india-whitewash-t20i-series-431220">'Not easy for NZ to...' - Rahul Dravid sympathises with Black Caps after India whitewash T20I series</a>

Chopra told speaking on his YouTube channel, "The middle-lower order is still a concern because Rishabh Pant hasn't really batted the way we wanted him to bat. He hasn't batted the way he can bat, you expect more from him. The runs come from his bat, he hits sixes as well but I feel he hasn't yet fully cracked the T20 code, which is a bit of a disappointment. He is absolutely sensational in Tests, it is the format he has cracked easily but he is still figuring out his ways in the other formats."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ajinkya-rahane-is-fortunate-he-is-still-in-indias-test-side-gautam-gambhir-ahead-of-new-zealand-series-431188">Ajinkya Rahane is fortunate he is still in India's Test side: Gautam Gambhir ahead of New Zealand series</a>

&nbsp;

While Pant did finish off the proceedings for India in the opening T20Is, his strike-rate was an issue in two outings. The left-hander will not be seen in action in the series opener of the upcoming two Tests between India and New Zealand as he has been rested. He will now like to return in full swing and strengthen his place across formats.

India and New Zealand locked horns with each other in the third and final T20I at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday evening (November 21). After taking an unassailable lead in the three T20Is, the Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue gave opportunities to more players and tested themselves by batting first as the hosts do not have a great record when it comes to defending totals.

India and New Zealand locked horns with each other in the third and final T20I at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday evening (November 21). After taking an unassailable lead in the three T20Is, the Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue gave opportunities to more players and tested themselves by batting first as the hosts do not have a great record when it comes to defending totals. Batting first, Rohit's 56 and vital contributions from the likes of Ishan Kishan, Shreyas and Venkatesh Iyer, Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar propelled India's total to 184-7 in 20 overs. In reply, the Mitchell Santner-led Black Caps folded for a paltry 111 in 17.2 overs as Harshal and Axar Patel combined to take five wickets and derail the T20 World Cup finalists' run-chase. The Rahul Dravid-coached team, thus, ended the series on a high with sparkling performances from many, in the form of Rohit, KL Rahul, Harshal, Axar, Deepak, R Ashwin, etc. Nonetheless, the former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra isn't impressed with one Indian youngster post the NZ series. For the unversed, Rishabh Pant registered scores of 17*, 12*, and 4 in the three-match series against the Black Caps and, hence, Chopra pointed out that the 24-year-old didn't look at his usual best. ALSO READ | 'Not easy for NZ to...' - Rahul Dravid sympathises with Black Caps after India whitewash T20I series Chopra told speaking on his YouTube channel, "The middle-lower order is still a concern because Rishabh Pant hasn't really batted the way we wanted him to bat. He hasn't batted the way he can bat, you expect more from him. The runs come from his bat, he hits sixes as well but I feel he hasn't yet fully cracked the T20 code, which is a bit of a disappointment. He is absolutely sensational in Tests, it is the format he has cracked easily but he is still figuring out his ways in the other formats." ALSO READ | Ajinkya Rahane is fortunate he is still in India's Test side: Gautam Gambhir ahead of New Zealand series While Pant did finish off the proceedings for India in the opening T20Is, his strike-rate was an issue in two outings. The left-hander will not be seen in action in the series opener of the upcoming two Tests between India and New Zealand as he has been rested. He will now like to return in full swing and strengthen his place across formats.

He hasn't batted the way he can: Aakash Chopra names Indian star who disappointed him in NZ T20Is

India and New Zealand locked horns with each other in the third and final T20I at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday evening (November 21). With the series already in their grasp, Rohit Sharma-led Indian team experimented by giving more opportunities to young stars and opting to bat first; given the Men in Blue's ordinary record at defending totals.&nbsp;

Batting first, Rohit-starrer India posted a competitive 184-7 in 20 overs, courtesy the skipper's 56 and vital contributions from the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Ishan Kishan and Harshal Patel. In reply, Martin Guptill was the lone warrior for the Black Caps as none apart from the opener's 51 looked comfortable as the Kiwis folded for a paltry 111 in 17.2 overs to lose by 73 runs.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-nz-rohit-sharma-salutes-deepak-chahar-as-csk-star-hits-massive-6-in-kolkata-t20i-watch-431189">Ind vs NZ: Rohit Sharma salutes Deepak Chahar as CSK star hits massive 6 in Kolkata T20I - WATCH</a>

Given that NZ were the T20 World Cup finalists, they would be disappointed with the 0-3 scoreline. However, newly-appointed Indian team head coach Rahul Dravid feels NZ were surely exhausted, coming into the series after a three-day gap post the T20 WC final versus Australia. In addition, they didn't have a full-strength squad with regular captain Kane Williamson being&nbsp;rested.

"We have to keep our feet on the ground and be a bit realistic about this win," Dravid said at the post-match presentation here. "Not easy for NZ to play a World Cup final and then to turn up three days later and play three games in six days, was never going to be easy for them. It was nice from our perspective but we have to learn from this series and move forward. It's a long journey ahead over the next two years and we'll have our share of ups and downs," added the former Indian captain.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-bizarre-team-indias-harshal-patel-gets-dismissed-hit-wicket-vs-nz-during-kolkata-t20i-431164">WATCH: BIZARRE! Team India's Harshal Patel gets dismissed 'hit wicket' vs NZ during Kolkata T20I</a>

After the 3-0 result, Rohit told at the post-match presentation, "It's important to start well. That's always been my mindset. Once you've seen the pitch you know what you've got to do. It was nicely coming onto the bat with the dew coming early. We had something planned as a batting group. Wouldn't say it worked out well. Room for improvement in the middle order. The batting front - KL missed out today but his form is critical. Middle order didn't get much opportunity except today. The spinners did the job for us in the entire series."

The action will now move to the two-match Test series, starting from November 25 at Kanpur. The visitors will surely like to settle scores with India in the Tests post the failures in the shortest format.

India and New Zealand locked horns with each other in the third and final T20I at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday evening (November 21). With the series already in their grasp, Rohit Sharma-led Indian team experimented by giving more opportunities to young stars and opting to bat first; given the Men in Blue's ordinary record at defending totals.

India and New Zealand locked horns with each other in the third and final T20I at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday evening (November 21). With the series already in their grasp, Rohit Sharma-led Indian team experimented by giving more opportunities to young stars and opting to bat first; given the Men in Blue's ordinary record at defending totals. Batting first, Rohit-starrer India posted a competitive 184-7 in 20 overs, courtesy the skipper's 56 and vital contributions from the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Ishan Kishan and Harshal Patel. In reply, Martin Guptill was the lone warrior for the Black Caps as none apart from the opener's 51 looked comfortable as the Kiwis folded for a paltry 111 in 17.2 overs to lose by 73 runs. ALSO READ | Ind vs NZ: Rohit Sharma salutes Deepak Chahar as CSK star hits massive 6 in Kolkata T20I - WATCH Given that NZ were the T20 World Cup finalists, they would be disappointed with the 0-3 scoreline. However, newly-appointed Indian team head coach Rahul Dravid feels NZ were surely exhausted, coming into the series after a three-day gap post the T20 WC final versus Australia. In addition, they didn't have a full-strength squad with regular captain Kane Williamson being rested. "We have to keep our feet on the ground and be a bit realistic about this win," Dravid said at the post-match presentation here. "Not easy for NZ to play a World Cup final and then to turn up three days later and play three games in six days, was never going to be easy for them. It was nice from our perspective but we have to learn from this series and move forward. It's a long journey ahead over the next two years and we'll have our share of ups and downs," added the former Indian captain. ALSO READ | WATCH: BIZARRE! Team India's Harshal Patel gets dismissed 'hit wicket' vs NZ during Kolkata T20I After the 3-0 result, Rohit told at the post-match presentation, "It's important to start well. That's always been my mindset. Once you've seen the pitch you know what you've got to do. It was nicely coming onto the bat with the dew coming early. We had something planned as a batting group. Wouldn't say it worked out well. Room for improvement in the middle order. The batting front - KL missed out today but his form is critical. Middle order didn't get much opportunity except today. The spinners did the job for us in the entire series." The action will now move to the two-match Test series, starting from November 25 at Kanpur. The visitors will surely like to settle scores with India in the Tests post the failures in the shortest format.

'Not easy for NZ to...' - Rahul Dravid sympathises with Black Caps after India whitewash T20I series

India locked horns with New Zealand in the third and final T20I on Sunday evening (November 21) with an aim to whitewash the Black Caps after entering the match with an unassailable 2-0 lead. The Rohit Sharma-led side wanted to experiment and add some new faces to the line-up with the series already in their grasp.

Following the coin toss, Rohit decided to bat first as India wanted to test themselves while defending a score. In recent times, India have done exceedingly well while chasing totals but haven't been comfortable while setting up a target, which resulted in their T20 World Cup failures as they lost both their opening games (to Pakistan and New Zealand, respectively) when asked to bat first.

Hence, Rohit &amp; Co. opted to bat first. From 69 for no loss, India did lose quick wickets to be reduced to 83-3 before vital contributions from Rohit's 56, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar's finishing knock took the side to 184-7 in 20 overs. Chahar played a superb cameo in the end, studded with two fours and a six at a strike-rate of 163.64, and surprised many among the spectators.&nbsp;

Chahar's superb pull shot, in the final over of the Indian innings, was met with positive response all around whereas skipper Rohit gave him a grand salute from the pavillion. Here's the shot and Hitman's amazing reaction:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-bizarre-team-indias-harshal-patel-gets-dismissed-hit-wicket-vs-nz-during-kolkata-t20i-431164">WATCH: BIZARRE! Team India's Harshal Patel gets dismissed 'hit wicket' vs NZ during Kolkata T20I</a>

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-ish-sodhi-takes-an-effortless-one-handed-stunner-to-send-rohit-sharma-packing-in-3rd-t20i-431141">WATCH - Ish Sodhi takes an effortless one-handed stunner to send Rohit Sharma packing in 3rd T20I</a>

In reply, NZ were never in the run-chase and got dismissed for a paltry 111 in 17.2 overs to lose by 73 runs. Among the bowlers, Axar Patel returned with 3 for 9 whereas Harshal Patel ended with 2 for 26 to dent the Kiwis' run-chase.&nbsp;

At the post-match presentation, Rohit stated, "It's important to start well. That's always been my mindset. Once you've seen the pitch you know what you've got to do. It was nicely coming onto the bat with the dew coming early. We had something planned as a batting group. Wouldn't say it worked out well. Room for improvement in the middle order. The batting front - KL missed out today but his form is critical. Middle order didn't get much opportunity except today. The spinners did the job for us in the entire series. The way Ashwin bowled, Axar. And how Chahal came back. Good to see Venkatesh Iyer bowling those overs with the skills he has. Important for us going forward. I would prefer that going forward .. teams around the world bat deep till No.8, No.9. Harshal, when he plays for Haryana, he opens the batting for them. And then Deepak, we've seen what he did in SL. Chahal was looking forward to bat as well. I've grown up playing on a concrete pitch back in the day. Once I started opening a lot of things changed. Won't say it (playing the pull) comes naturally. I've practised a lot playing those shots. Some days it comes off very well but I've got out also playing that shot. That's why I say when you've got a certain strength, you've got to back it."

The action will now move to the two Test matches, which will commence from November 25 at Kanpur.&nbsp;

India locked horns with New Zealand in the third and final T20I on Sunday evening (November 21) with an aim to whitewash the Black Caps after entering the match with an unassailable 2-0 lead.

India locked horns with New Zealand in the third and final T20I on Sunday evening (November 21) with an aim to whitewash the Black Caps after entering the match with an unassailable 2-0 lead. The Rohit Sharma-led side wanted to experiment and add some new faces to the line-up with the series already in their grasp. Following the coin toss, Rohit decided to bat first as India wanted to test themselves while defending a score. In recent times, India have done exceedingly well while chasing totals but haven't been comfortable while setting up a target, which resulted in their T20 World Cup failures as they lost both their opening games (to Pakistan and New Zealand, respectively) when asked to bat first. Hence, Rohit & Co. opted to bat first. From 69 for no loss, India did lose quick wickets to be reduced to 83-3 before vital contributions from Rohit's 56, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar's finishing knock took the side to 184-7 in 20 overs. Chahar played a superb cameo in the end, studded with two fours and a six at a strike-rate of 163.64, and surprised many among the spectators. Chahar's superb pull shot, in the final over of the Indian innings, was met with positive response all around whereas skipper Rohit gave him a grand salute from the pavillion. Here's the shot and Hitman's amazing reaction: ALSO READ | WATCH: BIZARRE! Team India's Harshal Patel gets dismissed 'hit wicket' vs NZ during Kolkata T20I pic.twitter.com/fwckFcqHrZ — Simran (@CowCorner9) November 21, 2021 × Rohit Sharma saluting for Deepak Chahar 's heroic finish #INDvNZ | #Deepakchahar pic.twitter.com/Rew7C6BrPE — Ash MSDian™💛 (@ashMSDIAN7) November 21, 2021 × ALSO READ | WATCH - Ish Sodhi takes an effortless one-handed stunner to send Rohit Sharma packing in 3rd T20I In reply, NZ were never in the run-chase and got dismissed for a paltry 111 in 17.2 overs to lose by 73 runs. Among the bowlers, Axar Patel returned with 3 for 9 whereas Harshal Patel ended with 2 for 26 to dent the Kiwis' run-chase. At the post-match presentation, Rohit stated, "It's important to start well. That's always been my mindset. Once you've seen the pitch you know what you've got to do. It was nicely coming onto the bat with the dew coming early. We had something planned as a batting group. Wouldn't say it worked out well. Room for improvement in the middle order. The batting front - KL missed out today but his form is critical. Middle order didn't get much opportunity except today. The spinners did the job for us in the entire series. The way Ashwin bowled, Axar. And how Chahal came back. Good to see Venkatesh Iyer bowling those overs with the skills he has. Important for us going forward. I would prefer that going forward .. teams around the world bat deep till No.8, No.9. Harshal, when he plays for Haryana, he opens the batting for them. And then Deepak, we've seen what he did in SL. Chahal was looking forward to bat as well. I've grown up playing on a concrete pitch back in the day. Once I started opening a lot of things changed. Won't say it (playing the pull) comes naturally. I've practised a lot playing those shots. Some days it comes off very well but I've got out also playing that shot. That's why I say when you've got a certain strength, you've got to back it." The action will now move to the two Test matches, which will commence from November 25 at Kanpur.

Ind vs NZ: Rohit Sharma salutes Deepak Chahar as CSK star hits massive 6 in Kolkata T20I - WATCH

Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal praised Team India's overall management during the three-match T20I home series against New Zealand, which India won 3-0 after thrashing Blackcaps in the third and final match by 73 runs at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.&nbsp;

India, playing under their new coach Rahul Dravid and the new T20 captain Rohit Sharma, made a winning start in Jaipur as they beat the Kiwis by five wickets. They took an unassailable lead in Ranchi by registering a seven-wicket win. &nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/too-much-cricket-for-team-india-who-got-how-much-rest-before-t20-world-cup-2021-430964">Too much cricket for Team India? Who got how much rest before T20 World Cup 2021</a>

Ahead of the final match, Akmal complimented Rohit Sharma &amp; Co., especially the way the Indian camp managed the managed workload. On his YouTube channel, he said, "Good win for Team India with new players against the team who had recently played in the final of T20 World Cup. No other team does that but India have a great pool of players and they are setting up the players for South Africa tour and the management are also handling workload pretty well."&nbsp;

"Brilliant captaincy from Rohit Sharma and he has been aggressive in the same way he bats. India are playing really well. Good start for both skipper (Rohit) and coach (Rahul Dravid)," he added.&nbsp;

IN PICS:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-john-the-bookmaker-to-paines-sexting-controversies-that-have-tainted-australian-cricket-since-1981-430763">From 'John' the bookmaker to Paine's sexting: Controversies that have tainted Australian cricket since 1981</a>

In the leadership of Rohit Sharma, Team India took the field in the absence of some top players such as Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja but managed to produce a magnificent show, thanks to experienced players and debutants like Venkatesh Iyer, who impressed with his bowling.&nbsp;

Kohli opted out of the series and will also miss the first of two Tests against New Zealand. The two teams will now head to northern India's Kanpur city for the first Test next week. Dravid said that it was "nice to start well" after his first series win as India coach.&nbsp;

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who opted out of the India T20s, will return to lead the team in Kanpur.&nbsp;

Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal praised Team India's overall management during the three-match T20I home series against New Zealand, which India won 3-0 after thrashing Blackcaps in the third and final match by 73 runs at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal praised Team India's overall management during the three-match T20I home series against New Zealand, which India won 3-0 after thrashing Blackcaps in the third and final match by 73 runs at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. India, playing under their new coach Rahul Dravid and the new T20 captain Rohit Sharma, made a winning start in Jaipur as they beat the Kiwis by five wickets. They took an unassailable lead in Ranchi by registering a seven-wicket win. ALSO READ | Too much cricket for Team India? Who got how much rest before T20 World Cup 2021 Ahead of the final match, Akmal complimented Rohit Sharma & Co., especially the way the Indian camp managed the managed workload. On his YouTube channel, he said, "Good win for Team India with new players against the team who had recently played in the final of T20 World Cup. No other team does that but India have a great pool of players and they are setting up the players for South Africa tour and the management are also handling workload pretty well." "Brilliant captaincy from Rohit Sharma and he has been aggressive in the same way he bats. India are playing really well. Good start for both skipper (Rohit) and coach (Rahul Dravid)," he added. IN PICS: From 'John' the bookmaker to Paine's sexting: Controversies that have tainted Australian cricket since 1981 In the leadership of Rohit Sharma, Team India took the field in the absence of some top players such as Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja but managed to produce a magnificent show, thanks to experienced players and debutants like Venkatesh Iyer, who impressed with his bowling. Kohli opted out of the series and will also miss the first of two Tests against New Zealand. The two teams will now head to northern India's Kanpur city for the first Test next week. Dravid said that it was "nice to start well" after his first series win as India coach. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who opted out of the India T20s, will return to lead the team in Kanpur.

Kamran Akmal praises team India's performance during NZ series, hails 'brilliant' captaincy from Rohit Sharma

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes it's too early to say anything about the coaching style of the newly-appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, Rahul Dravid.&nbsp;

Dravid, who played 164 tests and 344 one-dayers between 1996 and 2012, has been appointed the head coach of the men's national team to succeed Ravi Shastri.&nbsp;

Dravid has taken charge with India's T20I home series against New Zealand, which India lead 1-0 after winning the first match by five wickets at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Wednesday (November 17).&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pcb-chief-ramiz-raja-on-the-possibility-of-scheduling-india-vs-pakistan-series-430247">PCB chief Ramiz Raja on the possibility of scheduling India vs Pakistan series</a>

After the match, Ashwin said, "It's too early for me to comment on Rahul Dravid's coaching style, but he's put the hard yards in through the U-19 level."

"He won't leave much to chance, and he'll be all about preparation and process, so that we can bring the happiness back into the Indian dressing room," he added.

Ashwin is back in the Indian limited-overs squad after spending four years on the sidelines. Since mid-2017 the spinner did not get to play a single white-ball game and even warmed the benches in team's recent England Test tour.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yorkshire-racism-row-ex-england-cricketer-categorically-denies-racial-connotation-in-his-dogs-name-430205">Yorkshire racism row: Ex-England cricketer categorically denies 'racial connotation' in his dog's name</a>

The 35-year-old made a comeback at the recently concluded T20 World Cup when he played against Afghanistan and is now part of the team that is clashing with New Zealand, taking two wickets in the series opener.&nbsp;

Talking about the first T20I match between India and New Zealand, Ashwin said, "The slower you bowled, there was more purchase you got on this pitch. If you hit the seam and tossed it up, it did do things like Santner showed in the second innings."

"It's tricky in T20s, you can't miss your lengths and you don't know when to toss it up but here it did help to give it some air."

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes it's too early to say anything about the coaching style of the newly-appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, Rahul Dravid.

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes it's too early to say anything about the coaching style of the newly-appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, Rahul Dravid. Dravid, who played 164 tests and 344 one-dayers between 1996 and 2012, has been appointed the head coach of the men's national team to succeed Ravi Shastri. Dravid has taken charge with India's T20I home series against New Zealand, which India lead 1-0 after winning the first match by five wickets at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Wednesday (November 17). ALSO READ | PCB chief Ramiz Raja on the possibility of scheduling India vs Pakistan series After the match, Ashwin said, "It's too early for me to comment on Rahul Dravid's coaching style, but he's put the hard yards in through the U-19 level." "He won't leave much to chance, and he'll be all about preparation and process, so that we can bring the happiness back into the Indian dressing room," he added. Ashwin is back in the Indian limited-overs squad after spending four years on the sidelines. Since mid-2017 the spinner did not get to play a single white-ball game and even warmed the benches in team's recent England Test tour. ALSO READ | Yorkshire racism row: Ex-England cricketer categorically denies 'racial connotation' in his dog's name The 35-year-old made a comeback at the recently concluded T20 World Cup when he played against Afghanistan and is now part of the team that is clashing with New Zealand, taking two wickets in the series opener. Talking about the first T20I match between India and New Zealand, Ashwin said, "The slower you bowled, there was more purchase you got on this pitch. If you hit the seam and tossed it up, it did do things like Santner showed in the second innings." "It's tricky in T20s, you can't miss your lengths and you don't know when to toss it up but here it did help to give it some air."

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin says it's early to comment on Rahul Dravid's coaching style

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has expressed astonishment that Rahul Dravid took up the job of head coach of the Indian squad, given his family. Ponting also showed interest in taking coaching of Australian team but can’t do at present because it demands at least 300 days away from family.

Dravid's coaching career got off to a winning start on Wednesday, as Team India defeated New Zealand by five wickets in the opening T20I of the three-match series.

"Actually, I’m surprised that Dravid has taken it up as well. There was a lot of chat about how happy he was in the Under-19 role he had. I’m not sure about his family life but I'm sure he has got young kids. So I’m surprised that he took it but as I said, the people I spoke to were sure they got the right person so they were probably able to get Dravid to do it," Ponting stated on the Grade Cricketers Podcast.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravichandran-ashwin-difficult-to-get-away-he-has-great-control-over-line-and-length-says-martin-guptill-430197">Ravichandran Ashwin difficult to get away, he has great control over line and length, says Martin Guptill</a>

Ponting also said that he was contacted about being Team India's head coach, but he had to decline. "I had a couple of conversations with some people during the IPL about it (the head coach position). The people I spoke to were pretty hell-bent to find a way to make it work. The first thing I said was that I can’t give that much time, that means I can’t coach in the IPL," he added.

When asked if he'll ever take up the job of Australia’s head coach, Rickey Ponting said that coaching a national team is a tedious task and to leave his family behind is not what he can do at moment.

He said, "Time is the only thing that stops it, I’d love to coach the Australian team, but what I have done with my playing career was being away from family as much. I have a young family now, a seven-year-old boy, and to give up 300 days a year is not what I would do."

He further said that even though he is the coach of Delhi Capitals he gets enough time for himself and the family. "That's where the IPL works so well for me. To be able to coach 8-10 weeks in winter months, and to be able to come back and do the Channel 7 stuff in the summer, I have got enough work to keep me happy and to keep me around the game but also be able to spend time with the family."

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Delhi Capitals had qualified for the IPL 2021 playoffs.

On coaching’s job he said, "I actually think, from my view, it's almost an older man's job and not for someone who has got a young family."

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has expressed astonishment that Rahul Dravid took up the job of head coach of the Indian squad, given his family. Ponting also showed interest in taking coaching of Australian team but can’t do at present because it demands at least 300 days away from family.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has expressed astonishment that Rahul Dravid took up the job of head coach of the Indian squad, given his family. Ponting also showed interest in taking coaching of Australian team but can’t do at present because it demands at least 300 days away from family. Dravid's coaching career got off to a winning start on Wednesday, as Team India defeated New Zealand by five wickets in the opening T20I of the three-match series. "Actually, I’m surprised that Dravid has taken it up as well. There was a lot of chat about how happy he was in the Under-19 role he had. I’m not sure about his family life but I'm sure he has got young kids. So I’m surprised that he took it but as I said, the people I spoke to were sure they got the right person so they were probably able to get Dravid to do it," Ponting stated on the Grade Cricketers Podcast. ALSO READ: Ravichandran Ashwin difficult to get away, he has great control over line and length, says Martin Guptill Ponting also said that he was contacted about being Team India's head coach, but he had to decline. "I had a couple of conversations with some people during the IPL about it (the head coach position). The people I spoke to were pretty hell-bent to find a way to make it work. The first thing I said was that I can’t give that much time, that means I can’t coach in the IPL," he added. When asked if he'll ever take up the job of Australia’s head coach, Rickey Ponting said that coaching a national team is a tedious task and to leave his family behind is not what he can do at moment. He said, "Time is the only thing that stops it, I’d love to coach the Australian team, but what I have done with my playing career was being away from family as much. I have a young family now, a seven-year-old boy, and to give up 300 days a year is not what I would do." He further said that even though he is the coach of Delhi Capitals he gets enough time for himself and the family. "That's where the IPL works so well for me. To be able to coach 8-10 weeks in winter months, and to be able to come back and do the Channel 7 stuff in the summer, I have got enough work to keep me happy and to keep me around the game but also be able to spend time with the family." ALSO READ: Aaron Finch wants to lead Australia's T20 title defence on home soil Delhi Capitals had qualified for the IPL 2021 playoffs. On coaching’s job he said, "I actually think, from my view, it's almost an older man's job and not for someone who has got a young family."

Ricky Ponting is 'surprised' on Rahul Dravid taking up job of India's head coach

A new era in Indian cricket officially kicks off later today. Head coach Rahul Dravid and new T-20 international captain Rohit Sharma have taken over the reigns of the side - and their first assignment is a home series against New Zealand.

New era in Indian cricket officially kicks off today

India's T20 skipper Rohit Sharma, who is all set to embark upon a new journey in his cricketing career, recalled treasured memories of his interaction with the newly-appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, Rahul Dravid.&nbsp;

Swashbuckling batter Rohit, who was named the captain of India's T20 side after Virat Kohli stepped down from the post citing workload management, will lead the team against New Zealand in a three-match T20I home series, which is scheduled to kick start from Wednesday (November 17).&nbsp;

Ahead of India's first T20I match against New Zealand, scheduled to be played at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Rohit and Dravid got an opportunity to talk about one of their memorable interaction.&nbsp;

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Rohit made his debut against Ireland in an ODI in 2007 and the incident they mentioned is also from the same series as Dravid, during the pre-match press conference, said, "We were talking about it yesterday on the bus. I guess time flies, doesn't it? I actually remember Rohit even before the Ireland series when we were playing a challenger in Madras."

"We all knew that Rohit was going to be special. We could just see that he was a very special talent. That I would so many years later be working with him that I never thought about or envisaged... but honestly, the way he has grown as a leader, as a person over these last 14 years now. What he's achieved both as an India player and as a leader for the Mumbai Indians has been phenomenal," he added.

"Having to carry the legacy of obviously Mumbai cricket and Indian cricket is not an easy one and he's done it with a lot of grace and class," Dravid added. &nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-appointed-as-the-chairman-of-iccs-cricket-committee-replaces-anil-kumble-429998">BCCI president Sourav Ganguly appointed as the chairman of ICC's Cricket Committee, replaces Anil Kumble</a>

Rohit Sharma mentioned what had happened as he said: "It was way back in 2007 when I was selected, but the first time I had the opportunity to interact with him was in Bangalore at a camp. It was a very brief chat and I was actually kind of very nervous and I never used to talk so much even with my age group people so leave alone these guys at that point," Rohit said.

"So, I was just quietly doing my things and getting a move on with my game. But yeah, in Ireland the first time when he came and told me that you will be playing this game. I was over the moon that, obviously felt like a dream to be part of the dressing room. It's been a long way since then. I have cherished all the moments that I've spent playing for India and also for my franchise, Mumbai Indians. And we look forward to many more," Rohit added.&nbsp;

Watch the video here:&nbsp;

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🎥 Head Coach Rahul Dravid rekindles his first meeting with a young <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> &amp; lauds the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> T20I captain for his contribution towards the Indian cricket. 👏 ☺️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvNZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/croLaIElLu">pic.twitter.com/croLaIElLu</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1460628764547715079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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India's T20 skipper Rohit Sharma, who is all set to embark upon a new journey in his cricketing career, recalled treasured memories of his interaction with the newly-appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, Rahul Dravid.

India's T20 skipper Rohit Sharma, who is all set to embark upon a new journey in his cricketing career, recalled treasured memories of his interaction with the newly-appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, Rahul Dravid. Swashbuckling batter Rohit, who was named the captain of India's T20 side after Virat Kohli stepped down from the post citing workload management, will lead the team against New Zealand in a three-match T20I home series, which is scheduled to kick start from Wednesday (November 17). Ahead of India's first T20I match against New Zealand, scheduled to be played at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Rohit and Dravid got an opportunity to talk about one of their memorable interaction. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ: When and where to watch India vs New Zealand 1st T20I live on TV and online streaming Rohit made his debut against Ireland in an ODI in 2007 and the incident they mentioned is also from the same series as Dravid, during the pre-match press conference, said, "We were talking about it yesterday on the bus. I guess time flies, doesn't it? I actually remember Rohit even before the Ireland series when we were playing a challenger in Madras." "We all knew that Rohit was going to be special. We could just see that he was a very special talent. That I would so many years later be working with him that I never thought about or envisaged... but honestly, the way he has grown as a leader, as a person over these last 14 years now. What he's achieved both as an India player and as a leader for the Mumbai Indians has been phenomenal," he added. "Having to carry the legacy of obviously Mumbai cricket and Indian cricket is not an easy one and he's done it with a lot of grace and class," Dravid added. ALSO READ | BCCI president Sourav Ganguly appointed as the chairman of ICC's Cricket Committee, replaces Anil Kumble Rohit Sharma mentioned what had happened as he said: "It was way back in 2007 when I was selected, but the first time I had the opportunity to interact with him was in Bangalore at a camp. It was a very brief chat and I was actually kind of very nervous and I never used to talk so much even with my age group people so leave alone these guys at that point," Rohit said. "So, I was just quietly doing my things and getting a move on with my game. But yeah, in Ireland the first time when he came and told me that you will be playing this game. I was over the moon that, obviously felt like a dream to be part of the dressing room. It's been a long way since then. I have cherished all the moments that I've spent playing for India and also for my franchise, Mumbai Indians. And we look forward to many more," Rohit added. Watch the video here: 🎥 Head Coach Rahul Dravid rekindles his first meeting with a young @ImRo45 & lauds the #TeamIndia T20I captain for his contribution towards the Indian cricket. 👏 ☺️#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/croLaIElLu — BCCI (@BCCI) November 16, 2021 ×

Watch: Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid recall their interaction in 2007: 'I was over the moon'

Team India's new head coach Rahul Dravid has asserted he will be prioritising players' mental health and workload management as he begins his stint with the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. Dravid said he is not looking at building different teams for different formats but will rather effectively manage the workload of the players to ensure they are fresh for each major tournament.

Dravid has replaced Ravi Shastri at the helm of affairs for Team India after their disappointing exit from the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2021. India failed to qualify for the semi-finals as they bowed out of the T20 World Cup from the group stages after two losses and three wins in their first five matches.

The Indian team has picked up some new faces in the T20I squad for the New Zealand series that gets underway from Tuesday (November 17) but the management is not looking for a major overhaul. The likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel and Venkatesh Iyer have been roped in after their brilliant performances in the IPL while Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer and Yuzvendra Chahal among others have been recalled to the squad which will be led by newly-appointed T20I skipper Rohit Sharma.

Dravid said while there will be no separate teams for each format, he will always be in conversation with players to ensure their physical and mental being is taken care of.

"So we are not at that level, looking at separate teams for separate formats. Of course, there are certain players who only play a particular format. We need to have conversations with the players. Players' physical and mental health is the most important thing in these times. I will always be in conversation with them. I would like to work with them to ensure that whenever we are playing, we have them fresh, we have them fully switched on," Dravid said in the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-lands-in-trouble-after-his-restaurant-accused-of-discrimination-against-lgbtqia-community-429737">Virat Kohli lands in trouble after his restaurant accused of discrimination against LGBTQIA community</a>

The likes of head coach Ravi Shastri, pacer Jasprit Bumrah and others had pointed out how playing excessive cricket and not getting a deserved break between IPL 2021 and T20 World Cup was one of the reasons behind India's poor show in the tournament.

Echoing their sentiments, Dravid said players are not machines and workload management is an important aspect of cricket.

"Workload management is an important aspect of cricket. We see that in football as well. The mental and physical well-being of players will be a priority. We need to do a balancing act, have to work towards having players fit for the big tournaments," said the legendary batter.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/was-called-bomber-curry-muncher-ex-essex-cricketer-zoheb-sharif-makes-racism-allegations-against-club-429784">Was called 'bomber', 'curry muncher': Ex-Essex cricketer Zoheb Sharif makes racism allegations against club</a> 
&nbsp;

"Workload management is important. Players aren't machines. We want all our players fresh for the challenges ahead. It's very simple, we have to monitor every series we play," added Dravid.

Team India's new head coach Rahul Dravid has asserted he will be prioritising players' mental health and workload management as he begins his stint with the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand.

Team India's new head coach Rahul Dravid has asserted he will be prioritising players' mental health and workload management as he begins his stint with the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. Dravid said he is not looking at building different teams for different formats but will rather effectively manage the workload of the players to ensure they are fresh for each major tournament. Dravid has replaced Ravi Shastri at the helm of affairs for Team India after their disappointing exit from the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2021. India failed to qualify for the semi-finals as they bowed out of the T20 World Cup from the group stages after two losses and three wins in their first five matches. The Indian team has picked up some new faces in the T20I squad for the New Zealand series that gets underway from Tuesday (November 17) but the management is not looking for a major overhaul. The likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel and Venkatesh Iyer have been roped in after their brilliant performances in the IPL while Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer and Yuzvendra Chahal among others have been recalled to the squad which will be led by newly-appointed T20I skipper Rohit Sharma. Dravid said while there will be no separate teams for each format, he will always be in conversation with players to ensure their physical and mental being is taken care of. "So we are not at that level, looking at separate teams for separate formats. Of course, there are certain players who only play a particular format. We need to have conversations with the players. Players' physical and mental health is the most important thing in these times. I will always be in conversation with them. I would like to work with them to ensure that whenever we are playing, we have them fresh, we have them fully switched on," Dravid said in the pre-match press conference on Tuesday. Also Read: Virat Kohli lands in trouble after his restaurant accused of discrimination against LGBTQIA community The likes of head coach Ravi Shastri, pacer Jasprit Bumrah and others had pointed out how playing excessive cricket and not getting a deserved break between IPL 2021 and T20 World Cup was one of the reasons behind India's poor show in the tournament. Echoing their sentiments, Dravid said players are not machines and workload management is an important aspect of cricket. "Workload management is an important aspect of cricket. We see that in football as well. The mental and physical well-being of players will be a priority. We need to do a balancing act, have to work towards having players fit for the big tournaments," said the legendary batter. Also Read: Was called 'bomber', 'curry muncher': Ex-Essex cricketer Zoheb Sharif makes racism allegations against club "Workload management is important. Players aren't machines. We want all our players fresh for the challenges ahead. It's very simple, we have to monitor every series we play," added Dravid.

'Players are not machines,' -  Rahul Dravid to prioritise workload management, mental health as head coach

India's newly-appointed T20I captain Rohit Sharma has said Virat Kohli will remain a vital member of the Indian T20I squad when he makes his comeback after skipping the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. Rohit had replaced Kohli as captain of the T20Is after the former skipper stepped down from his post following the conclusion of India's campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021.

There have been questions raised regarding Kohli's spot in India's T20I squad amid his lean patch with the willow and the team's disappointing performance under his captaincy in the T20 World Cup 2021. However, Rohit insisted Kohli will only strengthen the team when he returns. Kohli has been rested from the three-match T20I series against the Kiwis which gets underway on November 17.

"What he has been doing for the team, his role will remain the same. He is very important. He is an impact player, he leaves an impression whenever he plays. He is a very important player from the team's point of view," Rohit said during a presser ahead of the first T20I against New Zealand.

Kohli might have left T20I captaincy but he will continue to lead the ODI and Test teams. He is undergoing a rough patch across formats at the moment but Kohli is India's best batter as far as T20s are concerned as he is the all-time leading run-getter in the format with 3227 runs at an average of over 52 in 95 T20Is.

"Everybody will have a different role, batting first and bowling first, roles will be different. Everyone is open to that. I am sure when Virat comes back, he can only strengthen our team because of the experience and the kind of batsmen he is. It's only going to add up to our squad," Rohit added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-to-host-champions-trophy-2025-india-to-stage-three-icc-tournaments-till-2031-429791">Pakistan to host Champions Trophy 2025, India to stage three ICC tournaments till 2031</a>

Team India will embark on a new era when they lock horns with New Zealand in the upcoming T20I series under Rohit's captaincy and the guidance of new head coach Rahul Dravid.

India's newly-appointed T20I captain Rohit Sharma has said Virat Kohli will remain a vital member of the Indian T20I squad when he makes his comeback after skipping the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand.

India's newly-appointed T20I captain Rohit Sharma has said Virat Kohli will remain a vital member of the Indian T20I squad when he makes his comeback after skipping the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. Rohit had replaced Kohli as captain of the T20Is after the former skipper stepped down from his post following the conclusion of India's campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021. There have been questions raised regarding Kohli's spot in India's T20I squad amid his lean patch with the willow and the team's disappointing performance under his captaincy in the T20 World Cup 2021. However, Rohit insisted Kohli will only strengthen the team when he returns. Kohli has been rested from the three-match T20I series against the Kiwis which gets underway on November 17. "What he has been doing for the team, his role will remain the same. He is very important. He is an impact player, he leaves an impression whenever he plays. He is a very important player from the team's point of view," Rohit said during a presser ahead of the first T20I against New Zealand. Kohli might have left T20I captaincy but he will continue to lead the ODI and Test teams. He is undergoing a rough patch across formats at the moment but Kohli is India's best batter as far as T20s are concerned as he is the all-time leading run-getter in the format with 3227 runs at an average of over 52 in 95 T20Is. "Everybody will have a different role, batting first and bowling first, roles will be different. Everyone is open to that. I am sure when Virat comes back, he can only strengthen our team because of the experience and the kind of batsmen he is. It's only going to add up to our squad," Rohit added. Also Read: Pakistan to host Champions Trophy 2025, India to stage three ICC tournaments till 2031 Team India will embark on a new era when they lock horns with New Zealand in the upcoming T20I series under Rohit's captaincy and the guidance of new head coach Rahul Dravid.

Virat Kohli will only strengthen India's T20I team when he is back: Captain Rohit Sharma

After a rude reality check in the T20 World Cup, India will aim to press the reset button for the 2022 edition under new captain Rohit Sharma and an illustrious head coach in Rahul Dravid, starting with the three-match series against New Zealand beginning here on Wednesday.

The duo in the next 11 months will underline the 'Men In Blue''s template and philosophy in the shortest format after it became clear that some rejigging will be needed as a part of course correction.

The disappointment in the UAE edition has forced India to look beyond Hardik Pandya, who for long has not been able to bring his all-round skills to the table.

Star IPL performer Venkatesh Iyer has been brought in as Hardik's replacement and the three games is likely to give an indication if he can be groomed for the much needed fast bowling all-rounder's slot.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dependable-opener-a-great-captain-virender-sehwag-names-ipl-teams-that-can-target-david-warner-429760">'Dependable opener &amp; a great captain': Virender Sehwag names IPL teams that can target David Warner</a>

India can also do with more power hitters in the batting department and Venkatesh, who played for KKR this IPL, has shown his ability to hit long and big.

The other IPL performers who have been picked in the squad are Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal, who makes a comeback after controversially being left out of the World Cup squad.

With Jasprit Bumah rested for the series, India will be looking to find another pacer, who can consistently clock 140kmph and above. As it was seen in the UAE, the extra pace always comes in handy, bringing Avesh and Mohammad Siraj into the picture.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was not at his best in the UAE, has been given another opportunity to find his A game.

The think tank comprising skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid will also assess a player's utility keeping the Australian conditions in the mind as the country hosts the World Cup in less than 12 months time.

There are five shortest format openers in the side and slotting them in various middle-order position will be a challenge.

Rohit and vice-captain K L Rahul are expected to open on Wednesday but India might be tempted to experiment in the presence of more options like Ishan Kishan and Gaikwad. In fact, even Venkatesh got all his runs opening for KKR but he is set to bat in the middle-order.

Suryakumar Yadav could not find his rhythm during the World Cup but he is one player India would be looking to groom at number four, especially for the true pitches in Australia.

In the absence of rested Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel can fill the spin bowling all-rounder slot while R Ashwin is expected to retain his place in the playing eleven after an impressive white-ball comeback in the UAE.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-lands-in-trouble-after-his-restaurant-accused-of-discrimination-against-lgbtqia-community-429737">Virat Kohli lands in trouble after his restaurant accused of discrimination against LGBTQIA community</a>

India had only five bowlers to choose from for most part of the World Cup while other top teams had up to seven options. Therefore, one might see one of the specialist batters rolling his arm over.

Their opponents New Zealand, who effectively knocked India out of the World Cup, have reached Jaipur on a chartered flight from Dubai with little time to reflect on their loss to Australia in the title clash.

Head coach Gary Stead has already spoken about how the challenges his team faces, having to regroup so quickly after a draining event like the World Cup.

Skipper Kane Williamson has been given rest for the T20s so that he is fresh for the following Test series. Seasoned pacer Tim Southee will lead the team in his absence.

However with Trent Boult for company and dangerous Daryl Mitchell in the top-order, New Zealand will be more than a handful in this series.

New Zealand could give opportunities to players who did not have much to do in the UAE including Kyle Jamieson who only played the warm-up games.

One of the interesting match-ups will be skipper Rohit against Ish Sodhi as the India captain has had problem against wrist spinners in the past.

Squads:

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohammad Siraj.

New Zealand: Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (captain).

After a rude reality check in the T20 World Cup, India will aim to press the reset button for the 2022 edition under new captain Rohit Sharma and an illustrious head coach in Rahul Dravid, starting with the three-match series against New Zealand beginning here on Wednesday.

After a rude reality check in the T20 World Cup, India will aim to press the reset button for the 2022 edition under new captain Rohit Sharma and an illustrious head coach in Rahul Dravid, starting with the three-match series against New Zealand beginning here on Wednesday. The duo in the next 11 months will underline the 'Men In Blue''s template and philosophy in the shortest format after it became clear that some rejigging will be needed as a part of course correction. The disappointment in the UAE edition has forced India to look beyond Hardik Pandya, who for long has not been able to bring his all-round skills to the table. Star IPL performer Venkatesh Iyer has been brought in as Hardik's replacement and the three games is likely to give an indication if he can be groomed for the much needed fast bowling all-rounder's slot. ALSO READ: 'Dependable opener & a great captain': Virender Sehwag names IPL teams that can target David Warner India can also do with more power hitters in the batting department and Venkatesh, who played for KKR this IPL, has shown his ability to hit long and big. The other IPL performers who have been picked in the squad are Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal, who makes a comeback after controversially being left out of the World Cup squad. With Jasprit Bumah rested for the series, India will be looking to find another pacer, who can consistently clock 140kmph and above. As it was seen in the UAE, the extra pace always comes in handy, bringing Avesh and Mohammad Siraj into the picture. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was not at his best in the UAE, has been given another opportunity to find his A game. The think tank comprising skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid will also assess a player's utility keeping the Australian conditions in the mind as the country hosts the World Cup in less than 12 months time. There are five shortest format openers in the side and slotting them in various middle-order position will be a challenge. Rohit and vice-captain K L Rahul are expected to open on Wednesday but India might be tempted to experiment in the presence of more options like Ishan Kishan and Gaikwad. In fact, even Venkatesh got all his runs opening for KKR but he is set to bat in the middle-order. Suryakumar Yadav could not find his rhythm during the World Cup but he is one player India would be looking to groom at number four, especially for the true pitches in Australia. In the absence of rested Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel can fill the spin bowling all-rounder slot while R Ashwin is expected to retain his place in the playing eleven after an impressive white-ball comeback in the UAE. ALSO READ: Virat Kohli lands in trouble after his restaurant accused of discrimination against LGBTQIA community India had only five bowlers to choose from for most part of the World Cup while other top teams had up to seven options. Therefore, one might see one of the specialist batters rolling his arm over. Their opponents New Zealand, who effectively knocked India out of the World Cup, have reached Jaipur on a chartered flight from Dubai with little time to reflect on their loss to Australia in the title clash. Head coach Gary Stead has already spoken about how the challenges his team faces, having to regroup so quickly after a draining event like the World Cup. Skipper Kane Williamson has been given rest for the T20s so that he is fresh for the following Test series. Seasoned pacer Tim Southee will lead the team in his absence. However with Trent Boult for company and dangerous Daryl Mitchell in the top-order, New Zealand will be more than a handful in this series. New Zealand could give opportunities to players who did not have much to do in the UAE including Kyle Jamieson who only played the warm-up games. One of the interesting match-ups will be skipper Rohit against Ish Sodhi as the India captain has had problem against wrist spinners in the past. Squads: India: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohammad Siraj. New Zealand: Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (captain).

India vs New Zealand 1st T20I Preview: Men in Blue look for 'fresh T20 template' in Rohit-Dravid era

Rahul Dravid has taken over as the new head coach of the Indian men's cricket team and is all set for his first major assignment with the Men in Blue. India will take on New Zealand in a three-match T20I series at home starting from November 17 (Wednesday) which is all set to be their first big challenge under Dravid's guidance.

While Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the captain of the T20I side after Virat Kohli stepped down as captain in the shortest format, KL Rahul will be his deputy. The newly-appointed vice-captain of the Indian T20I side said he has been fortunate enough to know Dravid for a long time and is looking forward to working with him.

Rahul, who plays for Karnataka in the domestic circuit and has been on India A tours in the past, lauded Dravid for being a team man and creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable. He also said Dravid has a great understanding of the game and can help the current members of the Indian team become better cricketers in the future.

"Rahul Dravid comes in as well, really looking forward to working with the new coaching staff over the next 2 weeks," KL Rahul told the reporters on Monday.

"Look, I have been fortunate enough to know him for a very long time. As a youngster, I did try to pick his brain. He was very helpful to all of us back home in Karnataka. He has helped the boys across the country. Having him here with us as a part of that setup will give us an opportunity to learn.

"We all know how big a name Rahul Dravid is, we have a great opportunity to learn from him and get better as cricketers. When it comes to coaching, I have played a couple of games with India A setup. He is somebody who has a great understanding of the game and creates an atmosphere where everybody is comfortable. He has always been a great team man," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cant-believe-there-were-no-inputs-from-shastri-kohli-in-indias-t20-wc-squad-selection-ex-pakistan-skipper-429534">Can't believe there were no inputs from Shastri, Kohli in India's T20 WC squad selection: Ex-Pakistan skipper</a>

Dravid has replaced Ravi Shastri as the new head coach of the Indian team after his contract expired post the end of India's campaign at the T20 World Cup 2021. India had a disappointing tournament as they failed to qualify for the semi-finals and bowed out of the group stages after two losses and three wins in the Super 12.

Under Dravid, a new era is set to begin in Indian cricket with Rohit taking charge of the T20I team. Dravid and Rohit's immediate challenge will be to build a settled unit with a focus on T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia next year. The likes of Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant among others will miss the upcoming T20I series against the Kiwis.

Rahul Dravid has taken over as the new head coach of the Indian men's cricket team and is all set for his first major assignment with the Men in Blue. India will take on New Zealand in a three-match T20I series at home starting from November 17 (Wednesday) which is all set to be their first big challenge under Dravid's guidance.

Rahul Dravid has taken over as the new head coach of the Indian men's cricket team and is all set for his first major assignment with the Men in Blue. India will take on New Zealand in a three-match T20I series at home starting from November 17 (Wednesday) which is all set to be their first big challenge under Dravid's guidance. While Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the captain of the T20I side after Virat Kohli stepped down as captain in the shortest format, KL Rahul will be his deputy. The newly-appointed vice-captain of the Indian T20I side said he has been fortunate enough to know Dravid for a long time and is looking forward to working with him. Rahul, who plays for Karnataka in the domestic circuit and has been on India A tours in the past, lauded Dravid for being a team man and creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable. He also said Dravid has a great understanding of the game and can help the current members of the Indian team become better cricketers in the future. "Rahul Dravid comes in as well, really looking forward to working with the new coaching staff over the next 2 weeks," KL Rahul told the reporters on Monday. "Look, I have been fortunate enough to know him for a very long time. As a youngster, I did try to pick his brain. He was very helpful to all of us back home in Karnataka. He has helped the boys across the country. Having him here with us as a part of that setup will give us an opportunity to learn. "We all know how big a name Rahul Dravid is, we have a great opportunity to learn from him and get better as cricketers. When it comes to coaching, I have played a couple of games with India A setup. He is somebody who has a great understanding of the game and creates an atmosphere where everybody is comfortable. He has always been a great team man," he added. Also Read: Can't believe there were no inputs from Shastri, Kohli in India's T20 WC squad selection: Ex-Pakistan skipper Dravid has replaced Ravi Shastri as the new head coach of the Indian team after his contract expired post the end of India's campaign at the T20 World Cup 2021. India had a disappointing tournament as they failed to qualify for the semi-finals and bowed out of the group stages after two losses and three wins in the Super 12. Under Dravid, a new era is set to begin in Indian cricket with Rohit taking charge of the T20I team. Dravid and Rohit's immediate challenge will be to build a settled unit with a focus on T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia next year. The likes of Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant among others will miss the upcoming T20I series against the Kiwis.

KL Rahul reacts to Rahul Dravid taking over as India head coach: He has great understanding of the game

Team India were strong contenders going into the T20 World Cup 2021 edition. Having played in the final leg of IPL 14, in the UAE, and comprising several star performers in the 15-man squad, the one-time winners were expected to go the distance in the marquee event.

However, Virat Kohli &amp; Co. fell like nine pins in the seventh edition of the T20 WC, won by Aaron Finch-led Australia on November 14 (Sunday). Kohli-led Indian team saw their unbeaten streak end versus Pakistan in World Cup history, lost to New Zealand and missed out on qualifying for the semi-finals despite bowing out with three wins in a row. Reflecting on their dismal campaign and the road ahead, with the next T20 WC scheduled in late 2022, former Australian coach John Buchanan spoke at length on how India can recover and expressed full faith in the Rahul Dravid-era.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-will-australia-regain-dominance-in-world-cricket-after-t20-wc-triumph-john-buchanan-opines-429442">EXCLUSIVE: Will Australia regain dominance in world cricket after T20 WC triumph? John Buchanan opines</a>

Buchanan told WION in an exclusive chat, "I think one of the big changes is Virat Kohli stepping down as T20I captain. I think one of the biggest changes will be Rahul Dravid coming in as a head coach. He will bring a real new dynamic to the side. He is well-respected, well-planned and clinical. I'm sure he will make changes both within the team and in the support staff. I am very confident that India will bounce back pretty quickly post the T20 WC debacle."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/how-india-under-performed-in-t20-wc-a-quick-look-at-the-recipe-that-left-a-bad-taste-in-our-mouth-428950">How India under-performed in T20 WC? A quick look at the recipe that left a bad taste in our mouth</a>

Post the T20 WC, Kohli stepped down as the Indian captain in the shortest format as the captaincy baton has been passed onto Rohit Sharma. On the other hand, Dravid has been roped in as the head coach after Ravi Shastri's tenure ended post the World Cup.&nbsp;

India will soon commence the Dravid-era by hosting New Zealand in three T20Is and two Tests, from November 17. It will be interesting to see how the national side rectifies their mistakes as a T20I unit and strengthen their side ahead of the 2022 WC.

Team India were strong contenders going into the T20 World Cup 2021 edition. Having played in the final leg of IPL 14, in the UAE, and comprising several star performers in the 15-man squad, the one-time winners were expected to go the distance in the marquee event.

Team India were strong contenders going into the T20 World Cup 2021 edition. Having played in the final leg of IPL 14, in the UAE, and comprising several star performers in the 15-man squad, the one-time winners were expected to go the distance in the marquee event. However, Virat Kohli & Co. fell like nine pins in the seventh edition of the T20 WC, won by Aaron Finch-led Australia on November 14 (Sunday). Kohli-led Indian team saw their unbeaten streak end versus Pakistan in World Cup history, lost to New Zealand and missed out on qualifying for the semi-finals despite bowing out with three wins in a row. Reflecting on their dismal campaign and the road ahead, with the next T20 WC scheduled in late 2022, former Australian coach John Buchanan spoke at length on how India can recover and expressed full faith in the Rahul Dravid-era. ALSO READ | EXCLUSIVE: Will Australia regain dominance in world cricket after T20 WC triumph? John Buchanan opines Buchanan told WION in an exclusive chat, "I think one of the big changes is Virat Kohli stepping down as T20I captain. I think one of the biggest changes will be Rahul Dravid coming in as a head coach. He will bring a real new dynamic to the side. He is well-respected, well-planned and clinical. I'm sure he will make changes both within the team and in the support staff. I am very confident that India will bounce back pretty quickly post the T20 WC debacle." ALSO READ | How India under-performed in T20 WC? A quick look at the recipe that left a bad taste in our mouth Post the T20 WC, Kohli stepped down as the Indian captain in the shortest format as the captaincy baton has been passed onto Rohit Sharma. On the other hand, Dravid has been roped in as the head coach after Ravi Shastri's tenure ended post the World Cup. India will soon commence the Dravid-era by hosting New Zealand in three T20Is and two Tests, from November 17. It will be interesting to see how the national side rectifies their mistakes as a T20I unit and strengthen their side ahead of the 2022 WC.

Exclusive! John Buchanan confident of India's comeback post T20 WC debacle, shows faith in Dravid-era

Rahul Dravid has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team after the departure of Ravi Shastri. Shastri's tenure as the head coach of the team came to an end after India's exit from T20 World Cup 2021 and Dravid will take charge from the upcoming home series against New Zealand.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, who had previously revealed Dravid had to be convinced to take over as the head coach of the national team, joked about how he influenced his former teammate to get on board. Dravid was working as the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) before taking over as the head coach of the Indian team.

Speaking at the 40th Sharjah International Book Fair, Ganguly spoke about Dravid's appointment as the Indian team's head coach and jokingly said he had got a call from his former India teammate's son, who complained that his father was being too strict with him and needs to be taken away.

"I got a call from him saying his father was being too strict with him and that he needed to be taken away. That's when I called Rahul (Dravid) and told him that it was time for him to join the national team," joked Ganguly.

Ganguly said it was easy for him to convince Dravid and get him on board as he had spent a lot of time with the former India batter in the dressing room during his playing days. Dravid and Ganguly made their India debuts around the same time and went on to become legends of Indian cricket with their brilliant performances across formats.

"We grew up together, started around the same time, and spent most of the time playing together. So it was easy for some of us to make him feel welcome and wanted," said Ganguly on a more serious note.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/should-virat-kohli-step-down-as-indias-odi-skipper-after-quitting-t20i-captaincy-john-buchanan-opines-429276">Should Virat Kohli step down as India's ODI skipper after quitting T20I captaincy? John Buchanan opines</a>

Dravid is currently in Jaipur with the rest of the Indian support staff ahead of his first major assignment as the head coach of the team. India will play the first T20I of the three-match series against New Zealand in Jaipur on November 17. India are scheduled to play two Tests against the Black Caps after the T20Is.

Dravid is reportedly set to be replaced by former India batter VVS Laxman, who will take over as the new head of the National Cricket Academy.

Rahul Dravid has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team after the departure of Ravi Shastri. Shastri's tenure as the head coach of the team came to an end after India's exit from T20 World Cup 2021 and Dravid will take charge from the upcoming home series against New Zealand.

Rahul Dravid has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team after the departure of Ravi Shastri. Shastri's tenure as the head coach of the team came to an end after India's exit from T20 World Cup 2021 and Dravid will take charge from the upcoming home series against New Zealand. BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, who had previously revealed Dravid had to be convinced to take over as the head coach of the national team, joked about how he influenced his former teammate to get on board. Dravid was working as the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) before taking over as the head coach of the Indian team. Speaking at the 40th Sharjah International Book Fair, Ganguly spoke about Dravid's appointment as the Indian team's head coach and jokingly said he had got a call from his former India teammate's son, who complained that his father was being too strict with him and needs to be taken away. "I got a call from him saying his father was being too strict with him and that he needed to be taken away. That's when I called Rahul (Dravid) and told him that it was time for him to join the national team," joked Ganguly. Ganguly said it was easy for him to convince Dravid and get him on board as he had spent a lot of time with the former India batter in the dressing room during his playing days. Dravid and Ganguly made their India debuts around the same time and went on to become legends of Indian cricket with their brilliant performances across formats. "We grew up together, started around the same time, and spent most of the time playing together. So it was easy for some of us to make him feel welcome and wanted," said Ganguly on a more serious note. Also Read: Should Virat Kohli step down as India's ODI skipper after quitting T20I captaincy? John Buchanan opines Dravid is currently in Jaipur with the rest of the Indian support staff ahead of his first major assignment as the head coach of the team. India will play the first T20I of the three-match series against New Zealand in Jaipur on November 17. India are scheduled to play two Tests against the Black Caps after the T20Is. Dravid is reportedly set to be replaced by former India batter VVS Laxman, who will take over as the new head of the National Cricket Academy.

Ganguly jokes on why he called Dravid to become India's head coach: 'He was being too strict with his son'

Virat Kohli had announced, in mid-September, that the T20 World Cup 2021 edition will be his last assignment as India's captain in the shortest format. He cited workload issues for stepping aside as the T20I skipper. Now, Ravi Shastri -- whose tenure as the national side's head coach just ended following the T20 WC campaign -- has hinted that Kohli might also step aside as the ODI captain.

Under Shastri-Kohli, Team India were a force to reckon with across formats as they became a daunting line-up while being on the road whereas also managed to dominate oppositions at home. Nonetheless, with Kohli not being at his usual best with the bat and being deprived of the&nbsp;three-figure mark in international cricket since late 2019, the 33-year-old stepped aside as the T20I captain. Now, he can also follow the same route in ODIs.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-wants-virat-kohli-to-focus-on-batting-likely-to-replace-him-with-rohit-sharma-as-odi-captain-report-428702">BCCI wants Virat Kohli to focus on batting, likely to replace him with Rohit Sharma as ODI captain - Report</a>

In an interview with India Today,&nbsp;Shastri said, "In red-ball cricket, India has been the No1 team in the world for the last 5 years under Virat Kohli. So unless he wants to give up or if he is mentally fatigued and says he wants to focus on his batting - which can happen in the near future, don't think it will happen immediately - it can happen.”&nbsp;

He added, "The same might happen with the ODI. He might say he wants to focus just on Test captaincy. It is his mind and body that will make that decision."

EXCLUSIVE |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/exclusive-mayank-agarwal-heaps-praise-on-coach-rahul-dravid-virat-kohli-and-rohit-sharma-opines-on-pbks-journey-428841">Mayank Agarwal heaps praise on coach Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, opines on PBKS journey</a>

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It will be interesting to see if Kohli gives up ODI captaincy as well but holds onto the post in Tests. Recently, reports suggested that the BCCI is willing to free Kohli from more responsibilities by asking him to step aside as the&nbsp;ODI captain.&nbsp;

As per a report in&nbsp;NDTV, the BCCI top brass is planning to have a conversation with the right-hander regarding his future as the ODI captain. "The board wants to relieve Kohli of the captaincy burden in limited-overs cricket so that he can focus on his batting and return to his dominant form,"&nbsp;NDTV&nbsp;quoted sources as saying.

Thus, Rohit Sharma might soon become India's limited-overs captain whereas Kohli is likely to continue as the Test skipper.

Virat Kohli had announced, in mid-September, that the T20 World Cup 2021 edition will be his last assignment as India's captain in the shortest format. He cited workload issues for stepping aside as the T20I skipper.

Virat Kohli had announced, in mid-September, that the T20 World Cup 2021 edition will be his last assignment as India's captain in the shortest format. He cited workload issues for stepping aside as the T20I skipper. Now, Ravi Shastri -- whose tenure as the national side's head coach just ended following the T20 WC campaign -- has hinted that Kohli might also step aside as the ODI captain. Under Shastri-Kohli, Team India were a force to reckon with across formats as they became a daunting line-up while being on the road whereas also managed to dominate oppositions at home. Nonetheless, with Kohli not being at his usual best with the bat and being deprived of the three-figure mark in international cricket since late 2019, the 33-year-old stepped aside as the T20I captain. Now, he can also follow the same route in ODIs. ALSO READ | BCCI wants Virat Kohli to focus on batting, likely to replace him with Rohit Sharma as ODI captain - Report In an interview with India Today, Shastri said, "In red-ball cricket, India has been the No1 team in the world for the last 5 years under Virat Kohli. So unless he wants to give up or if he is mentally fatigued and says he wants to focus on his batting - which can happen in the near future, don't think it will happen immediately - it can happen.” He added, "The same might happen with the ODI. He might say he wants to focus just on Test captaincy. It is his mind and body that will make that decision." EXCLUSIVE | Mayank Agarwal heaps praise on coach Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, opines on PBKS journey × ALSO READ | Virender Sehwag shares what Team India need to learn from England, New Zealand post T20 WC debacle It will be interesting to see if Kohli gives up ODI captaincy as well but holds onto the post in Tests. Recently, reports suggested that the BCCI is willing to free Kohli from more responsibilities by asking him to step aside as the ODI captain. As per a report in NDTV, the BCCI top brass is planning to have a conversation with the right-hander regarding his future as the ODI captain. "The board wants to relieve Kohli of the captaincy burden in limited-overs cricket so that he can focus on his batting and return to his dominant form," NDTV quoted sources as saying. Thus, Rohit Sharma might soon become India's limited-overs captain whereas Kohli is likely to continue as the Test skipper.

'Might happen in ODIs' - Ravi Shastri hints at Virat Kohli leaving 50-over format's captaincy after T20Is

Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition in the Super 12 round and will now be lead by Rohit Sharma in the shortest format. For the unversed, Virat Kohli had already announced that the T20 WC will be his last assignment as the captain of the national side in the shortest format.

With Rohit taking over, many are looking forward to how he will respond to the challenge of leading the national side in T20I format. Given that he is the most successful captain in IPL history, with five titles for the Mumbai Indians, expectations are high from the Hitman. Ahead of his tenure, former Pakistan all-rounder and captain Shahid Afridi has opened up on Rohit's new role and also had a word of advice for Virat, the outgoing T20I skipper.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-or-ajinkya-rahane-selectors-divided-over-vice-captaincy-post-in-indian-test-side-report-428519">Rohit Sharma or Ajinkya Rahane? Selectors divided over vice-captaincy post in Indian Test side: Report</a>

"As far as Rohit is concerned, this was on the cards. I have played with him for a year (at Deccan Chargers). He is an outstanding player with terrific shot selection. He stays relaxed where required and shows anger when needed to as well. We will see both sides. Like I said, this captaincy move was bound to happen. He should definitely be given a chance," Afridi said on Samaa TV.

"I think Virat should take the decision to continue as only a player. There will be relatively less pressure, he has played plenty of cricket too. He will enjoy his cricket and batting because captaining a team is not easy, especially in countries like India and Pakistan. As long as you are captaining well, things go smooth," added Afridi.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-pak-spinner-feels-t20i-retirement-on-cards-for-virat-kohli-says-two-groups-exist-in-team-india-428457">Former Pak spinner feels T20I retirement on cards for Virat Kohli, says 'two groups exist in Team India'</a>

It will be interesting to see if Kohli steps aside as the national side's captain across formats and continues only as a player. The 33-year-old currently holds the captaincy post in the ODI and Test setup.

Recently, former Pakistan spinner Mushtaq Ahmed predicted that Kohli will retire from the shortest format very soon, in order to stretch his international career. Only time will tell what is in store for King Kohli.&nbsp;

Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition in the Super 12 round and will now be lead by Rohit Sharma in the shortest format. For the unversed, Virat Kohli had already announced that the T20 WC will be his last assignment as the captain of the national side in the shortest format.

Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition in the Super 12 round and will now be lead by Rohit Sharma in the shortest format. For the unversed, Virat Kohli had already announced that the T20 WC will be his last assignment as the captain of the national side in the shortest format. With Rohit taking over, many are looking forward to how he will respond to the challenge of leading the national side in T20I format. Given that he is the most successful captain in IPL history, with five titles for the Mumbai Indians, expectations are high from the Hitman. Ahead of his tenure, former Pakistan all-rounder and captain Shahid Afridi has opened up on Rohit's new role and also had a word of advice for Virat, the outgoing T20I skipper. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma or Ajinkya Rahane? Selectors divided over vice-captaincy post in Indian Test side: Report "As far as Rohit is concerned, this was on the cards. I have played with him for a year (at Deccan Chargers). He is an outstanding player with terrific shot selection. He stays relaxed where required and shows anger when needed to as well. We will see both sides. Like I said, this captaincy move was bound to happen. He should definitely be given a chance," Afridi said on Samaa TV. "I think Virat should take the decision to continue as only a player. There will be relatively less pressure, he has played plenty of cricket too. He will enjoy his cricket and batting because captaining a team is not easy, especially in countries like India and Pakistan. As long as you are captaining well, things go smooth," added Afridi. ALSO READ | Former Pak spinner feels T20I retirement on cards for Virat Kohli, says 'two groups exist in Team India' It will be interesting to see if Kohli steps aside as the national side's captain across formats and continues only as a player. The 33-year-old currently holds the captaincy post in the ODI and Test setup. Recently, former Pakistan spinner Mushtaq Ahmed predicted that Kohli will retire from the shortest format very soon, in order to stretch his international career. Only time will tell what is in store for King Kohli.

Shahid Afridi feels Rohit will have two sides as India's T20I captain, shares word of advice for Virat Kohli

Team India is now entering a new era under Rohit Sharma post their dismal campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. As Virat Kohli had already announced that he will step aside as the T20I captain post the showpiece event, Rohit has officially taken over in the shortest format and will look to take the Men in Blue to greater heights.

In addition, Rahul Dravid has taken over as India's head coach after the Ravi Shastri-era came to an end with the T20 WC campaign. Thus, there is a lot happening in Indian cricket as all eyes are now on the future.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/brilliant-captain-to-excellent-mentor-selfless-rahul-dravid-continues-to-serve-indian-cricket-426721#rahul-dravid---jack-of-all-trades-426688">Brilliant captain to excellent mentor: Selfless Rahul Dravid continues to serve Indian cricket</a>

As per a report in the&nbsp;Times of India, the national selectors are divided over the vice-captaincy position in the Test line-up. After Rohit was given the responsibility to lead in T20Is, and he is already the vice-captain in ODIs, some of the selectors want him to become Kohli's deputy altogether; i.e. even in Tests. On the other hand, some remain in favour of Ajinkya Rahane, who led India to a historic 2-1 series win versus Australia in their own backyard in the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

While Rahane has been a regular in whites, Rohit's stocks have also risen in the purest format of the game. The thing which is in favour of Rohit is that Rahane's form continues to remain a matter of concern. His Melbourne Test hundred, in late 2020, has been his only face-saving knock in recent times. Thus, it has now reached a point where his vice-captaincy post is being discussed among selectors and head coach Dravid.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-dravid-addresses-indias-fatigue-issue-with-cac-to-work-on-rotation-policy-with-jay-shah-report-428239">Rahul Dravid addresses India's fatigue issue with CAC, to work on rotation policy with Jay Shah: Report</a>

It remains to be seen if a change will be made with respect to Kohli's deputy in Tests or whether Rahane will continue to hold the post. India's next Test series is versus New Zealand, i.e. a two-match Test series starting from late November.

Team India is now entering a new era under Rohit Sharma post their dismal campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. As Virat Kohli had already announced that he will step aside as the T20I captain post the showpiece event, Rohit has officially taken over in the shortest format and will look to take the Men in Blue to greater heights.

Team India is now entering a new era under Rohit Sharma post their dismal campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. As Virat Kohli had already announced that he will step aside as the T20I captain post the showpiece event, Rohit has officially taken over in the shortest format and will look to take the Men in Blue to greater heights. In addition, Rahul Dravid has taken over as India's head coach after the Ravi Shastri-era came to an end with the T20 WC campaign. Thus, there is a lot happening in Indian cricket as all eyes are now on the future. ALSO READ | Brilliant captain to excellent mentor: Selfless Rahul Dravid continues to serve Indian cricket As per a report in the Times of India, the national selectors are divided over the vice-captaincy position in the Test line-up. After Rohit was given the responsibility to lead in T20Is, and he is already the vice-captain in ODIs, some of the selectors want him to become Kohli's deputy altogether; i.e. even in Tests. On the other hand, some remain in favour of Ajinkya Rahane, who led India to a historic 2-1 series win versus Australia in their own backyard in the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. While Rahane has been a regular in whites, Rohit's stocks have also risen in the purest format of the game. The thing which is in favour of Rohit is that Rahane's form continues to remain a matter of concern. His Melbourne Test hundred, in late 2020, has been his only face-saving knock in recent times. Thus, it has now reached a point where his vice-captaincy post is being discussed among selectors and head coach Dravid. ALSO READ | Rahul Dravid addresses India's fatigue issue with CAC, to work on rotation policy with Jay Shah: Report It remains to be seen if a change will be made with respect to Kohli's deputy in Tests or whether Rahane will continue to hold the post. India's next Test series is versus New Zealand, i.e. a two-match Test series starting from late November.

Rohit Sharma or Ajinkya Rahane? Selectors divided over vice-captaincy post in Indian Test side: Report

Rahul Dravid is set to take over officially as Team India's full-time coach from the New Zealand home series, starting from November 17. Dravid will succeed Ravi Shastri, who played the role of India's head coach from mid-2017 to late 2021.

While India did very well under Shastri, across formats, his tenure ended without India winning an ICC title. After the T20 World Cup 2021 debacle, a lot has been said and written with regard to Team India's hectic cricketing schedule in a calendar year and the fatigue issue surrounding the players. Hence, the newly-appointed coach Dravid has taken up the fatigue issue with the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), as per a report in the Indian Express, and is also set to&nbsp;play a key role in the&nbsp;subject of players' rotation, depending upon their workload, in coordination with BCCI secretary Jay Shah.

So far, the matter of players' rotation, rest, and workload management has been in the hands of the selectors. However, it seems the picture is set to change after a number of players complained of bio-bubble fatigue. Hence, the new head coach Dravid is set to spearhead the whole process of the players being given adequate rest before the national selectors announce the squad for any future series or big-ticket tournaments.

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“The BCCI will decide on which player needs to be rested depending on how much cricket is being played. We are aware of the fatigue issue. The player who has been rested will get his place back in the team even if the replacement does well,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by IE.

On Tuesday evening (November 9), the BCCI announced a 15-man squad for India's T20I series versus New Zealand. The Rohit Sharma-led squad didn't comprise the likes of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, etc. As all the key players have been part of bio-bubbles and have been playing cricket continuously, the break is much needed for them.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/goosebumps-shastri-shares-heartfelt-speech-as-outgoing-coach-post-indias-t20-wc-campaign-watch-427919">GOOSEBUMPS! Shastri shares heartfelt speech as outgoing coach post India's T20 WC campaign- WATCH</a>

Given how India's T20 WC campaign fared, it seems BCCI is now keen to monitor players' workload in the next coming months, with the next ICC event scheduled to take place later in 2022.

Rahul Dravid is set to take over officially as Team India's full-time coach from the New Zealand home series, starting from November 17. Dravid will succeed Ravi Shastri, who played the role of India's head coach from mid-2017 to late 2021.

Rahul Dravid is set to take over officially as Team India's full-time coach from the New Zealand home series, starting from November 17. Dravid will succeed Ravi Shastri, who played the role of India's head coach from mid-2017 to late 2021. While India did very well under Shastri, across formats, his tenure ended without India winning an ICC title. After the T20 World Cup 2021 debacle, a lot has been said and written with regard to Team India's hectic cricketing schedule in a calendar year and the fatigue issue surrounding the players. Hence, the newly-appointed coach Dravid has taken up the fatigue issue with the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), as per a report in the Indian Express, and is also set to play a key role in the subject of players' rotation, depending upon their workload, in coordination with BCCI secretary Jay Shah. So far, the matter of players' rotation, rest, and workload management has been in the hands of the selectors. However, it seems the picture is set to change after a number of players complained of bio-bubble fatigue. Hence, the new head coach Dravid is set to spearhead the whole process of the players being given adequate rest before the national selectors announce the squad for any future series or big-ticket tournaments. ALSO READ | Rohit named captain; Gaikwad, Avesh, Harshal make the cut in India's 15-man squad for New Zealand T20Is “The BCCI will decide on which player needs to be rested depending on how much cricket is being played. We are aware of the fatigue issue. The player who has been rested will get his place back in the team even if the replacement does well,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by IE. On Tuesday evening (November 9), the BCCI announced a 15-man squad for India's T20I series versus New Zealand. The Rohit Sharma-led squad didn't comprise the likes of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, etc. As all the key players have been part of bio-bubbles and have been playing cricket continuously, the break is much needed for them. ALSO READ | GOOSEBUMPS! Shastri shares heartfelt speech as outgoing coach post India's T20 WC campaign- WATCH Given how India's T20 WC campaign fared, it seems BCCI is now keen to monitor players' workload in the next coming months, with the next ICC event scheduled to take place later in 2022.

Rahul Dravid addresses India's fatigue issue with CAC, to work on rotation policy with Jay Shah: Report

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