India set New Zealand an improbable 434-run victory target and then blew away the visitors' top order in Sunday's final session to close in on a resounding win in the first Test.

Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin made the most of a turning pitch in Kanpur to rip through New Zealand as India racked up a commanding 215-run lead on day three of the first Test on Saturday.

Captain Kane Williamson and opener Tom Latham led a strong New Zealand reply with unbeaten half-centuries before rain washed out the final session of the second day of the first Test against India on Friday.

The ball was old, the stage set and expectations high but India's Rohit Sharma again spurned the opportunity to assert his long-form credentials in the first Test against New Zealand on Thursday.

New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner and paceman Trent Boult combined to lead a fightback and restrict India to 291 for nine on the opening day of the first Test on Thursday.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson believes his slow-bowling trio can prove a handful for India in their own spin-friendly back yard in the three-Test series starting on Thursday.

India have the resources to become the best team in Test cricket and the bumper home season would be a perfect opportunity to sow the seed of their ascendancy, captain Virat Kohli said on Wednesday.

There's no place like home if you are looking to scramble back to the top of the world rankings and that appears to be India's mantra as they kick off a bumper Test season against New Zealand in Kanpur on Thursday.

India retained opener Shikhar Dhawan and middle order batsman Rohit Sharma on Monday for their three-Test home series against New Zealand beginning in Kanpur later this month.

All-rounder James Neesham has returned to the New Zealand Test squad for their three-Test tour of India.

The second match of the two-match Twenty20 International (T20I) between India and the West Indies here on Sunday was called off due to rain, leading to the latter clinch the cricket series 1-0.

Prodigious batsman Lokesh Rahul's 110 not out went in vain as West Indies managed to defeat India by one run in the nail-biting first T20 International at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground on Saturday.

The final Test between West Indies and India was abandoned as a draw on Monday as the soggy outfield remained unplayable in Trinidad.

Pakistan cricket team topped the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test team rankings for the first time after the final Test between India and the West Indies was called off due to wet ground at the Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, the world cricket body stated on Monday.

Rain and a soggy outfield continued to ruin the fourth Test between West Indies and India in Trinidad as play was washed out without a bowl being bowled on Saturday.

Wet conditions prevented any play on the second day of the fourth Test between West Indies and India in Trinidad on Friday.

Sri Lanka completed a rare 3-0 sweep over Australia after left-arm spinner Rangana Herath spun the hosts to a comprehensive 163-run victory in the final Test in Colombo on Wednesday.

India crushed West Indies at the third Test in St Lucia on Saturday, clinching the series and prompting captain Virat Kohli to say his team were going from "strength to strength".

Persistent rain washed out play on the third day of the third Test between West Indies and India in St Lucia on Thursday.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bagged his 18th five-wicket haul as India dominated the first day of the second test against West Indies in Jamaica on Saturday.