WTC 2021-23: New Zealand to play two-match Test series against India right after T20 World Cup 2021

The wounds of the loss in the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand would be still fresh in the minds of the Indian players. However, the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023 will present them with a chance to avenge their loss in the final and the series loss which they had suffered on their New Zealand tour in early 2020. 

It has been announced that the defending champions of the ICC Test mace will play their first series of the new edition of the ICC World Test Championship against India in India. Right after the ICC T20 World Cup, which is due to be held in October-November in the United Arab Emirates, the New Zealand team will travel to India for a two-match Test series. 

According to NZ website Stuff, the New Zealand team will spend a lot of time in the Indian subcontinent and in the middle east later this year. Ahead of the T20 World Cup, they are set to tour Pakistan for a five-match T20I series along with a three-match ODI series, which will be their first tour to Pakistan since 2003. They also have a five-match T20I series in Bangladesh. Both these two tours will take place in September and October. 

New Zealand’s last Test series in India was in 2016

Talking about the series between India and New Zealand, the new cycle of WTC would be challenging for India. They will open their campaign with a five-match Test series in England, which is due to be played in August and September. However, it will be the two-match Test series against New Zealand, which the Indian team would look forward to. 

This will also be New Zealand’s first Test tour to India since 2016. Back then, India had steamrolled the Blackcaps, winning the series 3-0 comfortably. New Zealand did play some good cricket, but they didn’t have the quality to beat India in their home conditions. After this, India had toured New Zealand in 2020 and were defeated 2-0. New Zealand’s last series in the sub-continent was against Sri Lanka in 2019, which they drew 1-1. The itinerary of the New Zealand tour of India has not been announced yet.