12 years ago when England won a test series in India, Alastair Cook was made full time test captain for that series. 12 years later, Tom Latham was made full time test captain for this series and we won the test series in India against India. A first for everything.
A difference between this time and last 2 times we toured India in 2016 and 2021 is winning the toss and batting first. That has been the key this time of being able to win the test series. Being very lucky for that 1st test pitch being under covers due to rain and being very cloudy allowed that pitch to play like a usual NZ pitch and being able to bat first for the 2nd test.
People were saying NZ wouldn’t end up winning a test series due to getting own by Sri Lanka 2-0 but people forget that those 2 tests Sri Lanka won the toss and batted first so it was very likely we wouldn’t of win those games anyway and also the 2nd test match was played at the same test ground as well.
Dochart: Being very lucky for that 1st test pitch being under covers due to rain and being very cloudy allowed that pitch to play like a usual NZ pitch and being able to bat first for the 2nd test.
Yep, without that day one damp pitch we dont bowl Ind out for one of their lowest record scores. But what was impressive in that match, was when we failed to bowl Ind for many wickets and conceding 400+ in the 80 overs, NZ looked shot with a flat track, but O'rourke and Henry took them to the cleaners with the new ball, coming back strong leaving NZ a small total that felt gettable even for NZ
The second test we scored two very avg scores, but both Innings Santner had watched Washington and committed to bowl like him, but he did even better which won the test
Both tests it was our bowling and some key sub 100 scores, Conway looking more dominant again, GP chipping in with a key 48NO and somewhat key wickets and always his fielding saving plenty of runs.
I think we have the bowling and we are showing signs of getting back to being able to post 400+ consistently, especially once Kane decides to play. He needs to get that avg back up to 56 which is when he is often world #1 and hopefully if he decides to stay on and post 10K runs he will go down as one of the all time greats. I think Kholi stuck around but his avg is now well below 50, much like Root, both two of the greats of this era no doubt.
So there is much to improve, but thats not a bad thing, its exciting rebuilding. Id be putting Sears in for the Eng tour back home, Im in doubt of JK even if it was just a muscle spasm. Id keep Southee on for the swing and local knowledge, thats 4 seamers with Henry. Then Santner, GP and the odd bowl from Rachin. Im still wanting a new WK and Mitchell to find form or step aside.
Why the dislike of Blundell ave 35 and scores runs vs good teams. Journeyman gloveman but still. Feel like we have been spoilt with McCullum and Watling.
Dochart: Being very lucky for that 1st test pitch being under covers due to rain and being very cloudy allowed that pitch to play like a usual NZ pitch and being able to bat first for the 2nd test.
Yep, without that day one damp pitch we dont bowl Ind out for one of their lowest record scores. But what was impressive in that match, was when we failed to bowl Ind for many wickets and conceding 400+ in the 80 overs, NZ looked shot with a flat track, but O'rourke and Henry took them to the cleaners with the new ball, coming back strong leaving NZ a small total that felt gettable even for NZ
The second test we scored two very avg scores, but both Innings Santner had watched Washington and committed to bowl like him, but he did even better which won the test
Both tests it was our bowling and some key sub 100 scores, Conway looking more dominant again, GP chipping in with a key 48NO and somewhat key wickets and always his fielding saving plenty of runs.
I think we have the bowling and we are showing signs of getting back to being able to post 400+ consistently, especially once Kane decides to play. He needs to get that avg back up to 56 which is when he is often world #1 and hopefully if he decides to stay on and post 10K runs he will go down as one of the all time greats. I think Kholi stuck around but his avg is now well below 50, much like Root, both two of the greats of this era no doubt.
So there is much to improve, but thats not a bad thing, its exciting rebuilding. Id be putting Sears in for the Eng tour back home, Im in doubt of JK even if it was just a muscle spasm. Id keep Southee on for the swing and local knowledge, thats 4 seamers with Henry. Then Santner, GP and the odd bowl from Rachin. Im still wanting a new WK and Mitchell to find form or step aside.
If Mitchell ends up failing again and Young performs well for the 3rd test against India they could slot Young at No 5 when Williamson comes back for the England series.
lachlanw: Why the dislike of Blundell ave 35 and scores runs vs good teams. Journeyman gloveman but still. Feel like we have been spoilt with McCullum and Watling.
Watling was more consistent. Blundell hasn’t performed well since that test series against England in England which was a while ago. There are other wicketkeepers we can try out such as Dane Cleaver, Cam Fletcher etc, who have been performing well the last few years. I still believe Blundell best position was being a makeshift Opener. That 100 at the MCG
Dochart: I still believe Blundell best position was being a makeshift Opener. That 100 at the MCG
I totally agree with that which is why I think thats what he should have been used as in Ind, if he protects our better batsmen great, if he scores 50 great. Its all better than slowly declining with his avg having headed south for a while now, keeping in mind he wasnt close to the FC batsman Cleaer is and possibly not even Fletcher. Ive forgotten the young chaps name but it will come to me, ideally we would go with youth. They should have put Cleaver in immediately following Watling, now at his age I worry could he give us five years and be that mid 40s avg Test player we really need to offer consistency in the middle for players to regroup around for partnerships. Too much pressure is left on GP or the tail, GPs 48no is a classic example. Maybe Cleaver could do it, but with this being a home test Stead wont drop Blundell no matter how much pressure his slump puts us under. Like Nicholls he will likely put on a 150 at home and keep people hoping in vane.
Is it possible to leave Patel out form from that 10W haul in an ininnings. JKs, but then how do you drop Santner? Heaven forbid we drop the best spin on avg with a batting up avg between 37-40 (out on 48NO makes it hard to know for sure and add to that saving up to 50runs an inng with his insane cpability in the field, he possibly meets our best "genuine" allrounder in NZ's history. Can't drop O'rouke or Henry.
Shame KW cant play or I would think we have a super rare chance of a 3win series.
Imaging winning the WTC again from this position !!! Yes Im greedy, but one's team must be greedy and at bare minimum, dreamers.
How much easier our WTC draw would look if we hadnt lost to Bangers and Sri lanka.
NZ on 50% win rate, if NZ win all 4 remaining matches gets them too 64.28%. Currently Ind are 62.82 and Oz 62.5. The good news there is a 5 Test series, its not impossible to see aussies win all 5 at home.
If such an unlikely scenario were to Occur, that would have Ind 8W 9Loss 1Draw and well out of contention. But it would leave only one slot open, but thats the likely scenario from here anyway. Where 64.28 would have NZ will in contention Currently thanks to our febble attempts Sri Lanka are 3rd. 55.56 and South africa 4th. 54.17
South af play Sri Lanka in a two test match series in Sa, which I see going Sa way. But then Pak two in Sa which I can see Pak with an upset series.
I see things outside South afr winning all 4 being similar to now aside from Ind could be very different post aussie tour. If NZ play their selections right, NZ could slip intp 2nd.
Im with a lot of commentators and commentary in regard to, Wins away from home should have a heavier weighting. But I think it should be more based on the typical types of ground a Team hosts vs the type of Ground you come from and I thin the weighting should be no higher than x1.5 for a win. ie Sri Lanka winning in NZ/Eng/Aus etc. Soith africa is an odd one out. It will take a lot of thought by dedicated statistical preferably cricket data analysts. But there is something to it no doubt.
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So TODAY possibly the 2nd and in some eyes the #1 Test Match for NZ to win in our series.
Back to Patels 10fa in an innings, hasnt been that bowler for a long time. But Ind's second innings Im hoping he remembers his tactics and shares them.
Henry back? If so he Has to replace Southee, if we gunning for wickets. Henry is avg'n 16 his last 12 months and below 29 since 21. Southee avgd nearly 40 in 22 and so far in 2024 he is averaging 61.72. 16 vs 62, seems obvious Henry bowls.
Just how hurt is Kane really? I wonder if he thought we would get pounded. Surely he would want to step in to help make history if not overly injured? With Blundell I say play him at 7 like a normal WK. Too much for GP to do by himself. His 48no at run a ball was a huge part of the victory.
Im hoping to see GP in quickly by Latham if Patel goes for 7rpo again. Latham's main issues so far is, he's not aggressive enough with the bowling when he needs to be ie start of Ind 2nd inngs last match, he should have had men around the bat like aus use to with warne and often doe with Lyon or Zampa. Warne would have got half the wickets if his Captains didnt have catches in close. Plus we had plenty of runs and having to bowl a team out dictates men in close. Maybe Latham hasnt been in that position as Captain before, but somebody needs to whisper "aggression" in his ear, you do do no win by protecting boundaries on a turning wicket with variable bounce, if anything enticing the slog to such a pitch is how you GET wickets.
Latham made a crucial mistake to that Young catch in close that Santner got talked out of. If it were me, of all the bowlers I would trust not to BS out of hope it would be Santner, O'rouke, maybe Henry. But after that he tried chasing his referals like somebody at the Wheel chasing red or black Use a process and stick to it, I think Will Young the only other with sight and close in to it who made an epic catch should have said something more, he just looked miffed as to those behind the wicket saying nothing in it to Santner.
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Bat first, this pitch turns to a spinners paradise within days. Post 350 if we can and put huge pressure around the bat for the first 200 of which we can hopefully bowl them out for. Use our two epic form Pace bowlers for two sessions each, get the spin in and hopefully Santner slows their 5rpo chase and we have them 300-7 by the new ball and O'rourke/Henry finish the job quickly with the new ball giving us a minimum 50 run lead. anything 350+ is going to be hard to chase, this time lets make them hit out or get out in the final bowling tactics by Laham.
Win the toss and bat first for the 3rd India Test. Only way we have a chance at making WTC Final. If we are forced to bowl first thats our WTC Final chance gone.
I don't believe NZ are any chance of making the WTC final. It will be two of Australia, and India or South Africa based on forecasting of upcoming results I've seen. Still, I gave them no chance against India and we see how that's gone so far, so never say never I guess.
The next four tests will decide those prospects one way or the other. England will be hard to beat at home, especially with Sears already ruled out and Jamieson unlikely to be available. Although, now that Santner is a world-class spinner apparently, perhaps we will see three crumbly dust bowl pitches prepared here for when the English arrive.
Good luck to NZ this evening. How does that saying go, luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Santner and Southee both out ......
Dochart: Win the toss and bat first for the 3rd India Test. Only way we have a chance at making WTC Final. If we are forced to bowl first thats our WTC Final chance gone.
Well it certainly would make getting to the final easier, the main reason being is it takes one more win off Ind. aus Have to beat them well eiither way for us to have a chance. I think whoever make +60% will make the final, So for us the win would help but it would also mean Ind will have to beat aus to remain 60%+. I dont think our SEA game face was on early enough, we shouldnt have lost that many tests. I think we have near the perfect team with 3 quality spinners, all avg near 30 or below with GP being the Strike early wicket bowler.
Our problem is simply the middle order, Mitchell and Blundell need to perform and GP needs to bat between them to give him a chance of making big runs, quickly. Blundell to play a support/feeding role to GP.
Wouldnt it be great once back in NZ to throw Cleaver in there for a late career "I told ya so". His main issue in FC that a lot of WKs face being low in the order is 29x50s and 7x100. But often in Tests that climbs as they have better players to partner with. He certainly cant do worse than Blundell this year with avg 19 and the solitary 50. If they chased Ross our at age 34, surely Blundell's time is up. The younger option is Cam Fletcher at avg 33, which is still above what Blundell started his Test career on. But 38 shows capability of a mid 40s avg. But GP deserves a go up the order regardless. For me hes a #5.
YES NZ win the toss and Latham jumps to bat first.
Santer has Sidestrain (a shame but was evident during the last test) and Southee is out. Henry and SODHI are in. Cant wait to see Sodhi day 3/4 with the intense turn he creates.
Gotta feel sorry for Bracewell. He would of been playing today instead of Sodhi. Lets see if Sodhi can perform better for this test compared to the 2016 test series he was in.
Dochart: Lets see if Sodhi can perform better for this test compared to the 2016 test series he was in.
I think think this is setup for being Sodhi's moment. Hi test stats are similar to Bracewells, because he put SO much effort and time into learning how to be a real batsman. I think he could lift his avg of 22 to 30 odd.
Edit: Latham & Conway need to make a 100 opening partnership and one of them go onto a century.
Edit: People saying without Santner and Southee we do not have the bowling and batsman to win again. Personally I think the team has been strengthened, two quality Bowlers who bat above 20 can feed GP or whoever needs support.
I cant see why Latham would think thats outside off.
Regardless, that ball is the one you do not rely upon your pads, across the line, the ball was there to be driven straight for 4, like he did the pior over. Just bizarre whats going on in Conways head.
Latham avgs a handy 35 in India but his overall avg this year is also in a slump and I think people think Mitchell and Blundell only. But Latham has not been reliable either which is why we got to our weak middle order quickly. We need him to step up here and Young simply has to produce on a batting pitch.
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