IND vs NZ: 'Friendly' rivalry that promises a fierce battle

India and New Zealand are yet to taste defeat in the tournament and the top-of-the-table clash could be Rohit and Co's sternest test yet

No cringe television ads calling for revenge. No needless baiting of the opposition’s fans. No jingoistic social media vitriol spewed in the garb of patriotism. Contests between India and New Zealand don't whip up extreme emotions and reactions. It’s usually all serene and peaceful, much like the quaint HPCA Stadium enveloped by the snow-capped Dhauladhar range in the mild October sun.

Rohit Sharma during practice (REUTERS)

If there’s ever a time for India to be fired up for a clash against New Zealand though, it is perhaps now. They are coming up against a team which, like them, has won its first four matches to sit atop the points table. They are coming up against a team that caused them the heartbreak of a semi-final exit at the 2019 World Cup. They are coming up against a team they haven’t beaten in International Cricket Council (ICC) events since the 2003 World Cup.

It provides the perfect backdrop for what’s hopefully an edge-of-the-seat thriller at easily the most picturesque venue in the country. A majority of those on the 12-hour bus journey from Delhi to Dharamsala on Friday night seemed to have made arrangements to head to the HPCA Stadium on Sunday.

In a contest where subplots abound, the battle between India’s top order and New Zealand’s attack appears to be the most riveting. In Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, India have a top three as efficient as any in this World Cup. Sharma and Kohli, their exquisite timing and ice-cool temperament in lockstep, have played lead roles in India’s acing of four successful run chases. Gill, whose recovery from illness has resulted in him losing a few kilos, will also hope to turn his blazing starts into something more substantial.

But this is a proper test. Primarily because the New Zealand attack has troubled India in a variety of conditions in recent years. When the surface favoured swing and seam in the 2019 World Cup semi-final at Old Trafford in Manchester, Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson caused all sorts of problems. When it assisted spin in the T20 World Cup at Nagpur in 2016, left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner – the highest wicket-taker at this World Cup -- wreaked havoc. All these players are part of the current set-up, which is further boosted by the availability of Tim Southee (he has recovered from a fracture in his right thumb) for the game.

“Yeah, I think there’re many factors that lead into a game. I don't think it’s one specific area that you can nail down. India’s top order has been fantastic this tournament. And again, our bowling attack has done a really good job up front as well. So that's going to be a great contest and obviously vice versa with Indian seamers against our top order,” New Zealand stand-in skipper Tom Latham told reporters on Saturday.

Equally, the New Zealand batting unit can’t be discounted. They have been put through different challenges at this World Cup and come through each of them with aplomb. In the first game against defending champions England, they made a target of 283 look moderate by sauntering to it in 36.2 overs. In their last game against Afghanistan, Latham and Glenn Phillips turned a precarious 110/4 into 288/6 thanks to a 144-run partnership for the fifth wicket that proved to be more than sufficient in the end.

For India, an obstacle has cropped up in the form of Hardik Pandya’s ankle injury. While the hosts are forced to rejig their combination, there’s certainly no need to panic. With Jasprit Bumrah spearheading the bowling department, they haven’t allowed any team to get 300 yet. Even on the rare occasion that Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj weren't able to strike in the Powerplay, against Bangladesh, spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja have done the repair work, combining effectively in the middle overs to help India claw their way back into the game.

They have bowled first in all four games, and that’s the route Sharma is likely to choose if they win the toss. The presence of dew at this venue may sway New Zealand in that direction too.

“Yeah, I think dew is a massive factor here in Dharamsala. I think we turned up at 5 o'clock last night, and there was some dew starting to form,” Latham acknowledged.

Away from the immediacy and importance of Sunday’s contest, it’s also worth dwelling on New Zealand’s constant knack for punching above their weight at these big events. Unlike India's cricket-crazy population of 1.4 billion, New Zealand is a country of 5.2 million people where cricket is a distant second to rugby in terms of popularity. In the pre-match presser, Latham beamed a wide smile when his reaction on the All Blacks making the rugby World Cup final was sought. And yet, their relatively limited talent pool of cricketers hasn’t hindered New Zealand from winning all four matches here after finishing runners-up in the previous two editions.

“Yeah, I think our consistency over World Cups, it's always been for us about trying to play our brand of cricket as best we can, Obviously the last two ODI World Cups have been in Australia and England where conditions are reasonably similar to back home, whereas this one's completely different. So again, adapting as much as we can has been a massive thing that we talk about and doing that as quickly as possible. If we can do that, then that gives us a good chance,” Latham said.

Theirs is a heartwarming success story, but India would want to play disruptors on Sunday.