IND beat NZ: After the Indian bowlers wreaked on New Zealand batters bowling them out for 62 in the first innings and then by 167 in the second innings here at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the Kiwi stand-in captain Tom Latham also admitted that they were up against a quality attack.
“In these conditions, you can’t just allow them to bowl to, they are very good and they are very accurate and they don’t give you much to hurt. For us it is about trying to put more pressure on them to get more fielders away from the bat. For us it is about guys sitting, having a certain plan and being able to stick to that and unfortunately if you have a plan and if you get out then that’s the game and that’s just cricket.” said Latham at the post-match Press Conference. The Kiwi batters surrendered meekly in front of Indian bowlers in the first innings handing the hosts a massive 263-run lead and from there on they could never claw their way back in the match.
IND beat NZ: Tom Latham says, ‘Indian bowlers are very good and accurate’
“I think from our point of view something that we always talk about is the character and the effort that the group has been put in. Obviously when you get bowled out for 60-odd in your first innings. It obviously puts you behind. Something that we talked about is the character in the group and try to stay in the game and put everything you can and we have certainly done that in the last four days. Take the first innings out of it then obviously it’s a different story,” said Latham.
New Zealand’s most experienced batter Ross Taylor had a forgettable outing in both the innings getting out on 1 and 6. His average was a poor 5 in four innings scoring only 20 runs.
IND beat NZ: “Ross obviously had the approach where they are trying to put their bowlers under pressure. As soon as you do that then sub-continent teams tend to take players away from the bat quickly. Unfortunately for Ross, it did not work out.” said Latham on Ross Taylor.
The Kiwi batters not only struggled against spin but they also came a cropper against seamers as Mohammed Siraj picked up the first three wickets in the first innings to reduce them to 17/3 in the start.
“I think it is a mix of everything. At times over here you going to be face seamers with the new ball and you are also going to be challenged by spinners with the new ball but as a cricketer, you are always looking to improve and you are always looking to get better. I am sure the guys are also looking to do that when they get home and when we are travelling in different parts of the world.” explained Latham.
New Zealand batters have certainly realized that batting in Indian conditions is not easy as the further the Test matches go, more difficult it becomes for batting.
IND beat NZ: Tom Latham says, ‘Indian bowlers are very good and accurate’
“As I said the longer you go on in India the tougher it gets. We know how good they are in their own conditions. Unfortunately, we were 5-down overnight and we had full confidence that the boys can go and bat as long as they can but unfortunately, it did not happen,” stated Latham.
New Zealand team was in UAE not too long ago playing the T20 World Cup and immediately after that, they came to India to play the T20I and the Test series. So, much intense cricket and the new bio-bubble have been a tough one for the visiting sides.
IND beat NZ: “Different guys have been away from home from different periods of time. There was a Test group that came. We have not been here for a long time but the T20 guys have been away from home for a long time. But since international cricket is a part of our job and that is what it happens and spending time away from home is what happens. The schedule also was that there was a T20 WC and the Test series after it has been a long time away from home but I know the guys must be looking to go home. Spending some time with families around Christmas and reconnecting with them and before we start our preparations for Bangladesh cricket coming up,” said Latham.
IND beat NZ: Tom Latham says, ‘Indian bowlers are very good and accurate’
The New Zealand team, who could not live up to the expectation, return home empty-handed in both the T20I series as well as Test series.
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