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India vs New Zealand 1st Test: Kiwis miss out on learning critical lesson

There is a reason why at the moment, New Zealand are placed at the seventh spot in ICC Test Rankings and their counterparts are at No. 2.

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Kane Williamson (left) and Ross Taylor fell for cheap on Day 4 © AFP
Kane Williamson (left) and Ross Taylor fell for cheap on Day 4 © AFP

That India had New Zealand on the mat by the time play ended on the fourth day does not surprise; the hosts were in fact expected to declare sooner than they did in the ongoing first Test at Kanpur. When the first Test got underway, there were expectations of a repeat of what was witnessed in last year’s Gandhi-Mandela Trophy between India and South Africa. But New Zealand sprang surprise: of all teams, they dominated India in their own backyard for most of the first two days of the Test and the series, signalling that this ongoing affair may not resemble the outcome of that series played late last year.

However, it was only a matter of time that India got to what they do the best: put up just about enough runs on the board to unleash their spinners, who would snaffle wickets in a rapidity even the fast bowlers do not generally attain. Going into the third day — generally the most decisive days in Tests — New Zealand were the team on top. The Kiwis were firmly placed in the contest, heading into the day with 9 wickets in hand and a deficit of 166 runs to clear. The pitch had just began assisting turn — not enough to scare the very souls of the batsmen —  and India had nothing but a new set of plans, patience and trust on their skills to get back in the contest.

From that point — start of the third day to end of the fourth — New Zealand slipped so much that there are not many chances for them to make a comeback. The tourists need an improbable 341 runs to win, they have 6 wickets in hand but not enough batsmen who would either score those runs over even try doing what South Africa did at the end of their horror in India last year: produce dead bat. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs New Zealand, 1st Test at Kanpur

Luke Ronchi has shown more than enough why he was trusted as a specialist batsman. Mitchell Santner seems to be having an excellent technique, and most importantly, temperament to stay at the wicket for longer durations than some of the specialist batsmen in the New Zealand team. BJ Watling should be the next man in, but he is battling fitness issues and to expect the wicketkeeper-batsman to drop the anchor when he is facing lower back issues could be unfair. ALSO READ: New Zealand face inevitable defeat

There is a reason why at the moment, New Zealand are placed at the seventh spot in ICC Test Rankings and their counterparts are at No. 2. India have started to build a team which can just not only win; it can lay down blueprints of comebacks from poor positions and help themselves back into contests. New Zealand, on the other hand, are grappling with most basic of issues such as one of their top batsmen not sliding the bat in when he is getting run-out or, most of their batting lacking the gumption to fight it out.

Once again, New Zealand are not expected to win in India. But they cannot be dissimilar if their approach, their methods and their self-belief is no different than the teams like South Africa and Australia, who too have struggled in the past. The sport is a lot about mental aspect, along with skills and fitness. But if one of the most basic aspects are ignored, it certainly gets a very tough time for everyone in the team.

If there is a target as massive as 434 to win, even this Indian team cannot be backed to chase it, or the current world No. 1 Pakistan. Or England, who bat till No. 11. A run-chase in Test cricket batting fourth is as haunting as it can get. But at the end of the day, how much do the teams think about their approach? What is it that they think? What do they plan? What do they aim to achieve?

Every new day on the cricket field is a lesson for all camps and their cricketers; it is only the wise that pick small lessons to learn and then somewhere down the line, grow big. To say South Africa did exactly that last year in New Delhi after being battered in two complete Tests will be wrong: the ability was always there, it was just the wait for the time for the giant to flex its muscle.

New Zealand are not in the race for the first spot; their limited-overs feats differ great deal from what they have in Test cricket. It is actually the same old story of occasional sparks of brilliance, like we saw at Leeds in 2015 or at Brisbane later in the year. But if the Kiwis have to attain consistency, if they aim to be among the teams that are not seen as walkovers — irrespective of conditions — and if they wish to be better than what they are at present, there is a lot of hard work to do.

And New Zealand could have started on the fourth day afternoon. They could not have got any better opportunity: there was a stiff challenge, playing on a wicket which has so far assisted batsmen who have truly applied themselves, and a spin attack which would have given New Zealand batsmen the best match-practice they could get. Think about this: for once, New Zealand forget the target, forget the context, and just take this one innings as a big lesson and try and improve their skills. Only because 434 is a target so huge that even the best Test team may falter in chase.

New Zealand will head into the final day with the game already gone out of their hands. Ronchi and Santner have looked good, but it will be a herculean task for them to keep fending away the spin attack. The Kiwis don’t have enough batting left either: the top threw it away, making as basic error as not dragging the bat into the crease.

(Devarchit Varma is senior writer with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)

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