New Zealand Elects to Bat First in Second Test

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first in the second Test against India in Pune, leading the series 1-0 after winning the first Test by eight wickets. Captain Tom Latham stated that the pitch is expected to assist spinners, and they made one change to their lineup, replacing injured pacer Matt Henry with Mitchell Santner. India made three alterations to their squad, bringing in Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, and Akash Deep, while dropping KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma expressed confidence in his team's ability to bounce back, noting their strong second-innings performance in the first Test. Both captains acknowledged the importance of adapting to the pitch conditions, which are drier than in the previous match. This Test marks a critical moment for India as they seek to maintain their home supremacy and aim for a hat-trick in ICC World Test Championship finals.