***Official*** New Zealand in India 2016

[Athlai]

I think we would definitely trade Wagner for Gambhir. An attack of Southee Henry Boult has a lot less of a Test class drop than Latham and a cardboard cutout of a potato.

 

[Shri]

Gambhir is really old, and a **** too. So, it would be a win for us really.

 

[Shri]

Aaron prefers seeing blood rather than wahs.

Also didn't realize Broad had begun going bald before being able to grow a full beard. Wac.

 

[Julian87]

Surely Williamson comes in for Guptill.

 

[Kippax]

Nope, they're possibly adding Neesham to Guptill. Because you can never have enough Aucklanders to enjoy that loosey goosey mentally freewheeling vibe of a dead rubber.

Black Caps v India: Kane Williamson return firms as final training throws up selection interest | Stuff.co.nz

The sight of fit-again seam-bowling all-rounder Jimmy Neesham batting in the top four in the main net alongside Martin Guptill, Tom Latham and Ross Taylor piqued interest.

More so given Williamson's comments on the pitch, which of course came with a caveat.

"Looking at it yesterday it was certainly quite bare at both ends. In saying that there was a lot of weather around, it was a little bit soft so we want to have another look today."

Either way, Neesham's extended batting session and bowling coach Shane Jurgensen's previous day comments that the Otago left-hander's rib injury had "settled down nicely" and he had "got through five or six overs no problem" had been noted.

As had the fact left-arm seamer Neil Wagner and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi spent a significant amount of time bowling in the main net but did not join Matt Henry, Jeetan Patel and Trent Boult in getting a bat.

Neesham was likely in contention for the same spot Wagner would take as part of a three-pronged pace attack with Boult and Henry or Sodhi might claim as part of trio of spinners alongside Patel and Mitchell Santner.

While his bowling could come in handy if those "soft" areas and the threat of some rain did provide assistance to the seamers, it was probably Neesham's batting that would be most valuable.

 

[NZTailender]

Gonna stack the batting huh? Has been the bigger weak point for us this series.

Just bat Watling 6 this time ffs.

 

[Mike5181]

To be honest, I'd throw Watling in at 5.

 

[Julian87]

Stacking the batting and retaining Guptill is probably the most pointless selection decision I've seen since Agar in England.

 

[Chewie]

No surprises we lost the toss

 

[Kippax]

Hesson is adamant that it's just 99% mental with Guptill though isn't he, at least in the press he is. Dead rubber will unlock the mind-forged manacles.

 

[Jono]

Cricinfo saying pitch has cracks? Coverage hasn't started yet here in Aus

 

[straw man]

Lol, lost the toss again. This series would have been more interesting with us batting first a couple of times.

 

[morgieb]

Wagner getting dumped for Neesham a surprise.

 

[BeeGee]

Worst tossers ever.

 

[Kippax]

There's the pitch, Jono -

 

[straw man]

Think it's gotten to the point where people are over-rating Watling's batting a little. He's good yes, we all love him, he was underrated for a while, but I think his defense in particular is a little over-rated. He's scored big runs moreso in challenging match situations as opposed to challenging batting conditions. In challenging batting conditions his diligent approach of defense and ticking over a few singles, hitting bad balls for four, tends to get him to 20 or 30 off 60 or 70 before the defense is breached. That's not a huge criticism, it's just his defense is not as watertight as Williamson (obv), or Latham for that matter, so it doesn't have legs for 150-200 ball innings in difficult conditions. And neither is he like Taylor in that he can come out and play the aggressive innings which might come off in almost any conditions.

That's my explanation for the large number of 15s, 18s, 26s etc from Watling in the last 12-18 months. Give him a flatter wicket or less testing bowling and I don't doubt he'll score runs again.

Yes it would be nice if he didn't have to hit out at 9 down every so often, and if the other top order batsman when he comes to the wicket would stop damn getting out and immediately leaving him with the tail.

 

[Daemon]

Not surprised India won the toss again. Bunch of tossers.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Unbelievable that we've ditched Wagner for Neesham.

Sadly predictable that we've retained Numptill.

 

[Zinzan]

Mandatory toss loss. Batting first wicket again?

 

[morgieb]

I swear New Zealand have lost the toss in 90% of Tests they've played lately.