Published: Sep 16, 2016, 04:00 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 16, 2016, 01:10 PM (IST)
The closest Mark Craig has come to playing in the subcontinent was when New Zealand toured UAE for a Test series against Pakistan in 2014. He did a good job, finishing as the third highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 13 scalps, behind Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar. Craig in his short international career has done well wherever he has gone. He gets the wickets, but often goes for too many runs – something he has been criticised for in the past. The DailyTelegraph had mentioned Craig as the worst spinner to have toured Australia in 2015 after the second Test at Perth. He finished the series with 8 wickets at an economy rate of 5.02. Full Cricket Scorecard: India vs New Zealand, 1st Test at Kanpur
“Is he the worst test spinner to ever be seen on Australian shores? How does he keep getting a game? Batsmen treat him with disdain and the only wickets he gets are cheap lower-order slog-outs when the opposition is looking to declare,” the Daily Telegraph said of Craig.
Craig has played just three out of his 14 Tests at home. The upcoming series against India, could very well turn out to be a memorable one for him. India are going into the series with three spinners, so, there is little doubt that there will be turning pitches throughout the series. Like India, New Zealand too have three spinners. Like Craig, leg-spinner Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner do not have experience playing in the subcontinent. But Sodhi and Santner were extremely successful against India in the T20 World Cup played in Nagpur, when they picked up three and four wickets respectively, bowling India out for just 79.
Craig however had a good start his international career. He was a surprise pick for New Zealand’s tour of West Indies in 2014. He had a memorable debut at Jamaica. He recorded the best bowling figures by a New Zealand bowler on debut, finishing with 8 wickets in the match. In the very match, he hit a six off the very first delivery he faced in Tests off Suliemann Benn and hence became the first-ever player to do so. It did not end there. He was awarded the man of the match – Stephen Fleming and Matthew Sinclair are the two other Kiwi players to have received this award on their debuts. He finished his debut series with 12 wickets.
Craig’s inclusion in the side came as a surprise. New Zealand’s regular spinner Daniel Vettori was out injured and Jeetan Patel chose County cricket over playing for the national side. But Craig had a good domestic season. He had picked up 22 wickets at 39.72 for Otago in the Plunket Shield season and chipped in with 244 runs with the bat as well. The New Zealand selectors perhaps wanted to cash in on his good form and it paid off. READ: Tim Southee set for test of character and skill
Safe to say, that is the high point of Craig’s international career so far. But he is someone, who did not make it to where he is now, that easily. Craig took an 11-month break from the game to recover from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).
According to Wikipedia.org, “CFS is a medical condition characterized by long-term fatigue and other symptoms. These symptoms are to such a degree that they limit a person’s ability to carry out ordinary daily activities. Quality of life of persons with CFS can be compromised.” Craig fought through it and went on to make his First-Class debut in 2011, after playing a couple of years T20 cricket.
Craig is not just a crafty off-spinner, he can also be a menace batting low down the order. For someone, who has not batted above No. 8, he averages 41.85 in Tests and has scored three fifties so far. Granted, the nine not outs out of his 23 innings do his average a world of good, but there is no denying that he has potential. He could turn out to be the Ravichandran Ashwin of the New Zealand side. Ashwin before he was promoted to No. 6 in the series against West Indies, has spent majority of his career batting at No. 8 or lower. He averages close to 32 with the bat at No. 8 and has also struck a couple of centuries in that position. READ: Trent Boult’s golden opportunity to stem an impact in the subcontinent
Craig does have a First-Class century to his name and averages a healthy 27.15 in 50 matches. But he will up against the No. 2 side in the world and more importantly against excellent players of spin. READ: Indian spinners world class, says Mark Craig
Will this series be Craig’s biggest challenge? Pitches in India should give him a bit more assistance than the pitches he has bowled in his brief career so far. Nevertheless, it will be a different challenge altogether. He may go for a few runs, but he will have to keep his head up and look to pick up wickets with every ball he bowls. While bowling in tandem with another spinner, he must ensure that he does not leak runs and ease the pressure on the batsmen. The spinners in the New Zealand have an experience of 34 Tests between them, with Craig being the most experienced of them with 14 Tests to his credit. It will be a challenge for all three bowlers, without a shadow of a doubt.
Like Santner, Craig too has the capability to add some priceless runs down the order. He certainly has the potential, but it will be interesting to see if he can execute it. New Zealand have a young captain in Kane Williamson leading them on this tour. New Zealand last won a Test in India couple of decades ago, but are now well equipped to add to their tally this time around. READ: Ross Taylor acknowledges India’s domination at home
India’s last series at home was against South Africa some nine months or so ago. Their spinners played a key part in the series and ensured that they beat the Proteas with ease. The series may once again come down to how the spinners perform and Craig, an important member of the New Zealand Test side, may have to do bulk of the damage with the ball. This could be a make or break or break series for Craig.
(Pramod Ananth is a reporter at CricketCountry.com. He is a sport enthusiast and a keen observer of cricket, the contests, and its personalities. When not tracking cricket, he follows the world’s soccer leagues and is somewhat partial towards Liverpool. His Twitter handle is @pramz)
