Third draw a real possibility

New Zealand have frustrated India with the strength of their batting efforts in the first two Tests and the big question going into the third and final Test, beginning in Nagpur on Saturday, is can they do it again?

Taking 20 New Zealand wickets has so far proved elusive to the Indians and their frustration has been plain for everyone to see, not least in the comments of off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has enjoyed outstanding success with the bat but little with the ball in the series to date.

The pitches, Harbhajan says, have been too flat and dead to get any pace, bounce or turn and so the batsmen have been able to take their time, play themselves in, without fear that the pitch could conspire against them.

That may sound like sour grapes from Harbhajan and maybe it is. But the India side will be without pace spearhead Zaheer Khan in Nagpur and they may be fighting a losing battle to take any more than a draw out of a series they were expected to win handily.

Bet365 make India 4/6 favourites to win the third and final match, with New Zealand 8/1 and the draw a 13/8 chance. That draw price, on recent evidence at least, looks a good bet.

The fact that the match will be played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium could be of interest. India have played only two Tests there, but one of them came against South Africa in February, when they were beaten by an innings. The tourists batted first and batted big and India could not cope.

Almost as big an issue for India will be whether Sachin Tendulkar can get his 50th Test century - extending his record - in this match. It would be a fitting way to end what has been an outstanding 12 months for the little master and at 7/2 to top-score for his side in their first innings, he is sure to be popular in the betting, especially as one of those centuries came back in February on the same ground.

Virender Sehwag tops the betting for India at 3/1, while behind Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir are both 9/2, Murali Vijay 5/1 and VVS Laxman 11/2.

For New Zealand, Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor share favouritism at 10/3, Tim McIntosh and Martin Guptill are both 9/2, while Jesse Ryder and BJ Watling are 5/1. As I always point out, captain Daniel Vettori can never be overlooked despite batting well down the order for if the big guns struggle, he could be good value at 12/1.

Part of me wants to say that India will win this, and they may well do, but on the evidence of the first two Tests and the fact that the weather could also be factor in Nagpur, the draw, at 13/8, is the pick.