India Vs NZ : facts and predictions

Some facts about India and New Zealand rivalry:

· India is touring NZ after 6 years. That’s the longest margin in 2000 that India is touring any decent cricket playing country.

· India would play a Test against NZ after 5 years. Last it was in Mohali – 03 prior to tour of Australia.

· India would play a ODI against NZ after 3 years. Last one it played was in the disturbing tour of Zimbabwe in 2005.

· India’s first loss in T20 came against NZ in 2007. Since that India has not played any international game against NZ.

· This tour was supposed to happen in 2006 or 2007 end, but then it was postponed to the current dates.

· Veeru Sehwag was the only successful batsman in Indian team that toured NZ in 2002 ODIs. He had 2 hundreds.

· Only 5 Indians have played an ODI before in NZ in the current team. They are Tendulkar, Sehwag, Harbhajan, Zaheer and Yuvraj

· Only 6 Indians have played a Test before in NZ in the current team. They are Tendulkar, Dravid, Sehwag, Laxman, Zaheer and Harbhajan.

· This is first full tour as skipper for MS.

· Last time India won a Test in NZ was in 1976.

· This is 5^th tour of Sachin Tendulkar in NZ. 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2009. He almost missed a hundred in 1^st Test (Wellington) in 1990. Overnite not out on 80, he was dismissed on 88 the next morning.

My predictions for the series:

Tests: India 2-0

ODIs : India 4-1

T20s : India 2-0