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*Official* New Zealand tour of India 2024

Moss

Moss

International Captain
SteveNZ said:
It wasn't, it was easier. Then they fluffed their lines, when again getting through the new ball - as it was in the first innings - would have put them in a much better position.

My post days earlier about Indian sides not wanting to battle when the ball was doing a lot and the going gets tough was met with 'no team in Tests does'...but we did, twice.
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I usually find a lot to agree with in your posts but this is an exception. Look, I find the 'NZ keep beating us because they usually enjoy luck with the conditions'' narrative among a lot of Indian fans very reductive and tiring, particularly when applied to that 2019 semifinal or 2021 WTC final (Nagpur 2016 and UAE 2021 happened too, by the way), and no doubt it will only be cemented by this test.

But this is one game where I genuinely feel NZ got the best of the conditions (and, full credit where due, made the absolute most of it). All that moisture during the first hour which wore off as the day progressed was critical. NZ were also helped a certain amount at important junctures by the conditions yesterday, which enabled them to cause damage with the new ball - I watched most of the days play yesterday, and I did think the rain breaks did tended to work in NZ favour. This is a very worthy win earned against a tough opponent, and I'm super happy, but will admit it was aided by getting conditions as close to NZ's comfort zone as possible in the subcontinent.

"My post days earlier about Indian sides not wanting to battle when the ball was doing a lot and the going gets tough was met with 'no team in Tests does'...but we did, twice" - for what it's worth, when the going got tough for NZ with the ball in India's 2nd innings, they didn't respond well at all. Thought the bowling was effort quite rudderless till the 2nd new ball. Was the case in Galle 2nd test too, dropped catches and all. So I think the response that 'no team in tests does' was fair.
 
Moss

Moss

International Captain
Bahnz said:
Just wanna say great innings by Will Young. Was a high pressure situation and he batted with such calm
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Missed all of today's play (thank me now fellow NZ fans), and Young was the player I would least likely have picked to control a tense chase like this one. While I've gone from being a supporter to neutral/detractor in recent times, really glad for him and hope he's feeling great about himself. Can't be easy being played out of position for most of your career and then seeing the number 4 spot snatched emphatically by Rachin once Nicholls ran out of chances.

Heard Bumrah had it on a string this morning and Conway was all at sea (more on that for later, savouring the win now), so made Young's contribution all the more important it looks like.
 
F

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
It would never happen but for tests 2 and 3 I'd love to see a top 7 of:

Conway
Young
Williamson
Ravindra
Mitchell
Latham (c & wk)
Phillips


Blundell rested as he looks all at sea and completely shot. He is really struggling. Latham's keeping is not much worse on current form.

Latham really struggles against elite pace, but is a gun player of spin. It is huge pressure for a new captain to keep and bat 6, but Young looks better equipped to see off Bumrah
 
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F

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
Silver Silva said:
Gary Stead gets a lot of stick but he's by far New Zealand's most successful coach, and the players seem to trust him.
What a record !
And now he can add a Test win in India to his CV.
View attachment 42059
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Lost a test at home to Bangladesh.
Oversaw the shambles of our last WT20.
Has failed to bring young players through.

Didn't pick the likes of Ravindra, Conway, and Jamieson soon enough when their talent was obvious.

Any of us could've selected better XIs for NZ just by reading CW.
 
F

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
India has only won 1 of its last 6 tests against NZ. I expect them to be relentless and come back extremely hard.

NZ had a famous win in the 1st test in SA in 1994, but fell to two demoralising defeats in tests 2 & 3 which (along with a dope smoking scandal) means that win has largely been forgotten. It is vital that NZ steps up and at absolute worse at least draws the series
 
S

SteveNZ

Cricketer Of The Year
Moss said:
I usually find a lot to agree with in your posts but this is an exception. Look, I find the 'NZ keep beating us because they usually enjoy luck with the conditions'' narrative among a lot of Indian fans very reductive and tiring, particularly when applied to that 2019 semifinal or 2021 WTC final (Nagpur 2016 and UAE 2021 happened too, by the way), and no doubt it will only be cemented by this test.

But this is one game where I genuinely feel NZ got the best of the conditions (and, full credit where due, made the absolute most of it). All that moisture during the first hour which wore off as the day progressed was critical. NZ were also helped a certain amount at important junctures by the conditions yesterday, which enabled them to cause damage with the new ball - I watched most of the days play yesterday, and I did think the rain breaks did tended to work in NZ favour. This is a very worthy win earned against a tough opponent, and I'm super happy, but will admit it was aided by getting conditions as close to NZ's comfort zone as possible in the subcontinent.

"My post days earlier about Indian sides not wanting to battle when the ball was doing a lot and the going gets tough was met with 'no team in Tests does'...but we did, twice" - for what it's worth, when the going got tough for NZ with the ball in India's 2nd innings, they didn't respond well at all. Thought the bowling was effort quite rudderless till the 2nd new ball. Was the case in Galle 2nd test too, dropped catches and all. So I think the response that 'no team in tests does' was fair.
Click to expand...
100% agree with what you've said.

My point moreso, maybe not well made, is that I don't question for a second that we had the better of the conditions. I, however, think a more resilient, backs to the wall Indian side should have made more of the predicament they found themselves in. 46 all out was woeful. 150 was game on and eminently achievable.

Then when I referred to us showing a tougher resolve, I meant with the bat up front to Bumrah in particular.
 
Flem274*

Flem274*

123/5
SteveNZ said:
100% agree with what you've said.

My point moreso, maybe not well made, is that I don't question for a second that we had the better of the conditions. I, however, think a more resilient, backs to the wall Indian side should have made more of the predicament they found themselves in. 46 all out was woeful. 150 was game on and eminently achievable.

Then when I referred to us showing a tougher resolve, I meant with the bat up front to Bumrah in particular.
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Mmm yea sub 100 is rarely excusable from a pro team. If it's a piece of **** dangerous deck, fine, but test teams should cobble together triple figures with 10 wickets.
 
Prince EWS

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
honestbharani said:
Rourke, Henry and KJ is one tasty attack for you guys.

But honestly, I would suggest getting in someone who can swing the ball like Southee and not really plan with KJ in mind given how injury prone he is. Ajaz had a shocking game in between all this and maybe you guys should look at a main spinner outside of Philipps too for the long term.

If you can find that one spinner and one swing bowler, with KJ and Ajaz as the backups, you will have a solid bowling attack which should keep you competitive in tests anywhere and always. Great and more balanced bowling attacks will matter so much more in tests.
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They generally really need that fourth seamer for home games in NZ, so unless they can develop another batting all-rounder who bowls seam up to fill that CdG role I suspect it'll be four specialist quicks plus Phillips and Rachin a lot.

It'd be ideal to get more out of Mitchell's bowling given he's been a genuine first change bowler at times domestically but he's always looked horrible at Test level with the ball.
 
Prince EWS

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
straw man said:
I hope so - a frustrating player as he does look like he belongs at this level. But between the experiment opening the batting, difficulties with any movement on standard 4th stump line, and the tendency to give away starts... that doesn't leave much in between times.

He's a classy strokeplayer though. Is very orthodox - even his reverse sweep looks textbook. And very calm. There has to be a test batsman in there.

Needs to talk with Matt Henry about graduating from a long-time not-quite guy into a top level player in your early 30s.
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I still think he gets too far across and plays around that front pad too much but he is definitely easy on the eye, and he's now averaging 45 in his five Tests not opening. A great first reserve middle order bat to have even if nothing else.
 
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