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India vs New Zealand, 2nd Test: How can visitors bounce back?

New Zealand and Kane Williamson must step out of the shadows, give-up on mundane tactics to overcome a red-hot Team India and aggressive Virat Kohli, when they clash in the second Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday.

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© Getty Images
Kane Williamson must evolve himself as a leader, be proactive and lively © Getty Images

New Zealand as a team has been loved and has always been a crowd favourite across the globe. So when it was decided that they will tour India for a three-Test and five-One-Day International (ODI) series, the fans and critics alike were up in arms anticipating a competitive start to the Indian cricketing season. New Zealand who are now stewarded by the young and gifted Kane Williamson along with the likes of Ross Taylor, B J Watling, Tom Latham and Mitchell Santner would have to bear the responsibility of an inexperienced team. New Zealand, who displayed a poor show against South Africa, continue exhibiting chinks in their armour. Anil Kumble and co. mulled over tactics by the session. Their warm-up game against a second string Mumbai Ranji side at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi was not much awe inspiring as well for the visitors.

The Kiwis even before the start of the first Test at Kanpur suffered two major blows after their bowling spearhead Tim Southee and all-rounder Jimmy Neesham was ruled out due to injuries. Southee who has been having his yearly trips to India post 2011 thanks to Indian Premier League (IPL) would have easily been a game changer for the Kiwis with his pace and experience on Indian pitches. Another player who has slowly risen through the ranks in the New Zealand side is Neesham. He scored a career defying ton on his Test debut against India at home to stop the visitors win. Neesham with the ball is not a firebrand but has the ability to surprise batsmen once a while and on Indian pitches would have been a boon. With the second Test just round the corner New Zealand face ominous task of not only breaking through the shackles of a loss and ink a new chapter in the book of New Zealand’s cricketing narrative.

Problem 1: Coming to the first Test at Kanpur, New Zealand after losing the toss to India, they were already mentally preparing to chase down a mammoth first innings score by the home batsmen on a good batting pitch. Williamson threw in a surprise when they picked 3-frontline spinner with Santner, Mark Craig and Ish Sodhi included in the XI. Santner looked an accurate reproduction of Daniel Vettori from the get-go. Craig who was expected to be containing bowler, did not provide anything extra to the mix. Craig did not look menacing but was good in intervals. Ish Sodhi who was phenomenal in the T20 match against India in the WT20 was anticipated to out-fox Indian batsmen on turning pitches. Sodhi did manage that in parts but looked baffled in mostly. Sodhi was short and predictable with his line and length. ALSO READ: India vs New Zealand, Kanpur: A Test that all parties won

Solution: Craig who was injured during Day 4 of the first Test has been ruled out of the whole series and replacing him is the wily old Jeetan Patel. Jeetan has been a rampage in county cricket since the past many years. It is interesting the Jeetan replaces the same man who replaced him in the Kiwi squad in 2013, after the former turned down an offer to return in the squad to tour West Indies. Jeetan preferred playing for his county Warwickshire, where he has now become a legend. Jeetan in the recently concluded county season picked up 69 wickets at 24.

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Jeetan Patel picked just 10 Test wickets in his two tours to India © Getty Images (file photo)

Jeetan toured India with the New Zealand team in 2010 and 2012, collecting 10 wickets in three tests at 45.30. This does not reflect Jeetan’s evolution as an off-spinner but surely enables him to feel more inspired and ready. Speaking about Jeetan’s return, Williamson was quoted as, “For Jeetan to come into the squad after a period of time away from the team is a great opportunity for him, and one the guys are all looking forward to having him and his experience in this side”. This only proves that New Zealand are in a mood to bring in a fresh taste in the already bitter Indian experience.

Problem 2: Batting order conundrum has forever haunted the New Zealand Test side since the retirement of Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle. Many openers have come and gone but not one has stood out amongst the rest and Martin Gutpill is another face in the crowd. Guptill who has been a rage in the limited overs format is yet to produce the magnificent in the longer format of the game. In India it is important to get ones team to a good and steady start if you need to dominate the hosts – ask Matthew Hayden or Alastair Cook. Guptill in the first Test looked gazed and unsure about his batting, which does not send the right signal to the remaining batsmen. ALSO READ: IND vs NZ, 1st Test: In the end, pitch was the ultimate winner

 © Getty Images
Henry Nicholls scored 36 & 76 in 2nd Test against SA © Getty Images

Solution: Just 6-Test –old Henry Nicholls has all the ridges required to be a solid top-order batsman. Nicholls struck a valiant 134-ball 59 on his Test debut against Australia at home, where almost established batsmen fell like ninepins. Nicholls in the second Test against South Africa just a month back showcased his ability to fight his way out to trouble and rescue his team. His footwork and stylish batting was for all to feast their eyes upon. If Nicholls is given a chance against India, he could very well cement his place in the side, if he repeats a similar show.

Problem 3: Williamson who is just into his sixth match as skipper of the New Zealand team, has a daunting task ahead of himself with already one down in the Test. Williamson as a batsmen looked in solid control of the situation but his captaincy skills were up for scrutiny. Williamson looked uninventive and too expressionless, which for a young team can be demoralising. Williamson on the field was found wanting waiting for something to happen rather make things occur. The batting line-up was too prosaic for a Test match, with top 5 batsmen being right-handed against Ravichandran Ashwin is like giving lollypop in a child’s hand. ALSO READ: Ravichandran Ashwin joins ‘league of legends’ with his 5th 10-wicket haul

Solution: New Zealand coach Mike Hesson and Williamson must have pondered upon the fact a lack of left-hander in the top half of the batting hampered their chances against Ashwin. As shown by Santner, Ashwin could be taken for runs with the right mindset and approach. A leftie in the top 4 would have negated Ashwin’s spinning abilities. Like Santner any left-hander would have swept Ashwin with ease and turned the pressure right back on the Indians. Nicholls inclusion is a must in this sense that will have a impact on the bearing of the game definitely.

Participation of senior players, Taylor, Watling and Luke Ronchi must play active role on the field and not just bundle down Williamson. Against a team like India it is important that everyone contributes physically and mentally. Shuffle the batting order, putting Ronchi in the opening slot would not hurt New Zealand as he is one of the few lone rangers for the visitors who rose to the occasion and stamped their authority in Test arena. Ronchi has been in scoring and a quick-fire 30-40 would be an ideal start for the Kiwis in any position.

Williamson will in-time learn the nitty-gritties of the game but before that he must evolve himself as a leader. Being proactive and lively in the field is much more important than being a calculated genius. Williamson should resort to having in newer positions and keep changing the field and not stick to the conventional setting. This will surely unsettle the batsmen and play on the back of his mind. ALSO READ: Luke Ronchi shows enough promise to solve visitors’ opening dilemma

New Zealand and Williamson must step out of the shadows, give-up on mundane tactics to overcome a red-hot Team India powered by the very aggressive and vocal Virat Kohli, when both teams clash in the second Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday.

(Vishal Mehra is a journalist with CricketCountry, who enjoys his weekly dose of anime, monthly viewing of sitcoms, daily playing of cricket once every few hours moon, and currently venturing into table-tennis . His twitter handle is @capturethecatch )

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