Rain after strain

But forecasts have indicated an improvement in weather conditions over the next few days. India are trailing the two-match series 0-1 after losing the first match by 10 wickets at Basin Reserve, Wellington last week and are keen to redeem themselves in this match.

Groundsman Doug Strachan has already said that even two to three days8217; play was sufficient to produce a result on the pitch here which is supposed to be one of the fastest in the world.

An hour each would be added to next four day8217;s play in order to compensate for the time lost and a total of 105 overs would be scheduled instead of the usual 90. The Test will also have a revised follow-on margin of 150 runs instead of the 200 that would have applied to a five-day match.

Though neither sides named their final eleven, speedster Tinu Yohannan was widely belived to replace left arm seamer Ashish Nehra in the Indian team while New Zealand were unlikely to make any changes to their side that won the first Test within three days. PTI