Team India to exploit home conditions vs New Zealand confirms skipper Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane has made his intentions clear. Team India will make full use of the home advantage in the 2-match Test series vs New Zealand, with the 1st game starting from Thursday in Kanpur.

In the absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, it will be a test of India's batting depth in the 1st Test match. With Shreyas Iyer all set to make his Test debut, the onus of the middle order will be on the experienced pair of Pujara and Rahane. While Rahane bailed himself out with a couple of good knocks in England, his Test career still hangs by a thread.

It might be a second-string Indian side but taming them at home won't be easy for New Zealand. The Blackcaps last won a Test in India way back in 1988 and haven't won any of the next 17 including 2 heavy defeats in Kanpur itself.

The absence of the big players from this series becomes the perfect opportunity for Team India to groom future stars under the watchful eye of new coach Rahul Dravid.

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