New Zealand's Mitchell Santner.
Credit: PTI Photo
Pune: “In the past we have come here and looked to just block it out, eventually one (delivery) has your name on it. This time, we decided that we should fire the first shot, or just have a bit more intent.”
This was Mitchell Santner minutes after the second day’s play between India and New Zealand on Friday.
He was addressing the press conference because he had picked up seven wickets earlier that day, but this was him explaining New Zealand’s batting intent in the first Test in Bengaluru and their approach in the first innings of the second Test. Their strategy didn’t change in the second innings either.
In the last four innings, New Zealand have averaged a run rate of 3.82, and that happens to be their fastest scoring rate in India in Tests, ever.
To further drive home the point, the last time they were here (in 2021), their rate per over was 2.12, and they struck 79 fours and two sixes. This time, they've scored 109 fours and 18 sixes so far.
“We wanted to fire the first shot,” said New Zealand skipper Tom Latham at the post-match presser on Saturday. “We wanted to fire first so we could put India under a bit of pressure. The way we played in this game with the bat was really important. Time wasn't necessarily an issue but it was runs."
“You saw the way we played yesterday, be a bit more positive, be a bit more attacking to get the sweepers out so that rotating strike is a bit more easier.”
Ironically, New Zealand attempted this ‘new’ brand of cricket in Sri Lanka only a few weeks ago and ended up losing the series 2-0.
“Looking back at the Sri Lanka series, we were on the wrong side of the result, but I think as a whole, we didn't play that bad a cricket. There were some really good moments in there. Sometimes you fall on the wrong side, even though you may be playing okay,” he said.
“We have come here and we have played a style where we have fired a little bit of a shot at India and found ourselves on the right side of a couple of tosses as well.”
Another factor which Latham touched on was the impact the Indian Premier League has had on their batters and the resultant mindset change.
“The more you come to these parts of the world, the more you can familiarise yourself in these conditions and I guess we have got a lot of guys in the team who have played in the IPL,” he said.
“You work out ways to play in these conditions... Dev’s (Devon Conway) obviously a fantastic player of spin. The way he has been really proactive in the last two games, he has been fantastic at the top and set the tone in the games. Obviously, Mitch (Santner) has been someone who has been at Chennai for a long time.”
India coach Gautam Gambhir only recently admitted that the influence of Twenty20 cricket on Tests needs to be embraced. Looks like New Zealand is doing a better job of that than India at the moment.