Stern test awaits Dhoni in Kiwi-land by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	MS Dhoni
Event:	India in New Zealand 2008/09

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DateLine: 17th February 2009

 

Mahendra Singh Dhoni faces the toughest challenge of his fairytale-like career to date when he leads India in New Zealand from this month, his first full tour as captain. The dashing batsman-wicketkeeper, who made an uninspiring One-day debut in December 2004, captained India when senior players opted out of the inaugural Twenty20 world championships in South Africa in 2007. Dhoni and his rank outsiders went on to win the tournament and he found himself elevated to both the One-day captaincy and deputy to Test skipper Anil Kumble after Rahul Dravid resigned.

 

Dhoni was finally given charge for all three forms last October when Kumble called it a day, even as critics feared the excessive workload of keeping wicket and leading the team could burn him out. But the cool, composed and supremely fit Dhoni has shrugged off any concerns, securing wins in four of his five Tests as captain, with the fifth ending in a draw. Under him, India have won 28 of 46 One-day matches and seven of nine Twenty20 internationals and thus he went on to justify the the crown of captaincy fitted his head well.

 

Dhoni's India have recently vanquished Australia in the Test series, routed the visiting English team in the ODIs with an unbelievable 5-0 scoreline, won a closely contested Test series against the same opposition and then handed Sri Lanka a heavy series defeat with another imposing scoreline reading 4-1. But Daniel Vettori's New Zealand, playing on home soil, will test the Indian team's mettle. History is also against the tourists - India last won a Test series in New Zealand 41 years ago, when Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi's team prevailed 3-1.

 

On the previous tour of New Zealand, in December 2002, India lost both Tests inside three days with totals of 161, 121, 99 and 154 in the four innings on bowler-friendly seaming wickets. The Black Caps also went on to win the One-day series 5-2.

 

Only six players in the touring squad have played a Test in New Zealand before -- Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Dravid, VVS Laxman, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh.

 

India's back-breaking itinerary of two Twenty20 internationals, followed by five One-day matches and three Tests, does not include a single practice match to acclimatise to the conditions. India, who arrive in New Zealand on February 20, open the tour with the two Twenty20 matches in Christchurch (Feb 25) and Wellington (Feb 27). The five One-dayers will be played between March 3-14 before the first Test starts in Hamilton on March 18. The remaining two Tests will be played in Napier (March 26-30) and Wellington (April 3-7).