New Zealand wins the toss and will bat first in the 2nd cricket test against India

PUNE, India (AP) — New Zealand won the toss Thursday and elected to bat in the second cricket test against India, hoping to complete the three-Test series with a win in the city of Pune in western Maharashtra state .

India trails 1-0 in the three-match series after New Zealand beat the home team by eight wickets in the first Test. It was New Zealand's first Test win in India since 1988.

New Zealand captain Tom Latham said there should be some momentum on the pitch but he is confident his side will adapt. India captain Rohit Sharma said he would have fought even if he had won the toss.

India made three changes – Lokesh Rahul was left out while the fit-again Shubman Gill returned to the playing side. The in-form Sarfaraz Khan, who scored 150 runs in the second innings of the first Test in Bengaluru, retains his place.

Rahul makes way for Gill, who bats at No. 3, while bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar comes in for left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Pacer Mohammed Siraj is out, Akash Deep takes his place.

India's keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who was hit on the knee in the first Test, is fit again and will wear the gloves for the second Test.

Kane Williamson remains out of action for New Zealand as he has not recovered from a groin injury sustained in Sri Lanka. The visitors have made one change compared to the first Test with pacer Matt Henry out due to injury, while left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner has moved into the starting XI.

The pitch at the MCA Stadium is a black earthen gate, similar to the one in Bengaluru. But it is drier in comparison and the spinners are expected to be favored throughout the game, even early on, playing to India's strengths as they try to bounce back in the series.

India have been 1-0 down in a home Test series on several occasions – against Australia in 2017 and against England in 2021 and 2024. On all three occasions they came back to win the series, but those were four Test series, not at three.

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Lineups:

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah

New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, William O'Rourke

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AP Cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket