Feb 14 2009
Finally India Plays New Zealand
Can anyone of you ever think of the last match played between India and New Zealand? Yes, India last played New Zealand in October 2003 where India played two tests meaning more than five years have passed by since India have played test matches against New Zealand. Nevermind that both these test matches were drawn, with the second test at Mohali being a batsmen’s paradise, which saw as many as six batsmen scoring hundreds. This means that the last time a match between India and New Zealand having a result was played in late 2002 where India lost both the tests 2-0.
And in the current squad that is set to tour New Zealand, some big names like Javagal Srinath, Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly have gone missing. It is still unable for me to figure out as to what was going on in the minds of the ICC when it never thought of India-New Zealand tests whatsoever. With some of the teams playing each other periodically like the Ashes between Australia and England (who play each other every two years), and one day matches between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh being played twice back-to-back almost every year, I wonder what was wrong with India and New Zealand playing each other?
Some other clashes that have been missed over the past few years include the test matches between Australia and Pakistan, New Zealand & Pakistan and India-West Indies. Despite the test series between Australia and Pakistan being cancelled last year, the last time a Pakistan-Australia test series was played in late 2004 where Australia won 3-0. Meaning just less than four years had been passed before the next series between Australia & Pakistan was scheduled. So is the case also with Pakistan-New Zealand. The last full fledged series between New Zealand and Pakistan was played in early 2004 and it has been four years when the teams were scheduled to meet next.
And the last time India met the West Indies was in mid 2006 and the next series between the two countries in no where in the near future. While, the arch rivals India and Pakistan were scheduled to meet regularly every year since 2004. Between 2004 and 2009, there have been five Indo-Pak schedules, which I think is the highest between any two teams. And the West Indies’last encounter with Bangladesh cannot be remembered unless one goes through the cricinfo website. Such bias I think has to be taken into consideration wherever the ICC schedules its international tours tables. Is the ICC sleeping!!!
