I have to admit, I didn't have much hope for NZ in the fourth innings of the last Test.. how hard can it be for India to make 140-odd? More fool me 😅 Amazing series, amazing win 😁
Thank you Neil - as a lifelong New Zealand cricket supporter, the various underdog flavoured stories have made me grit my teeth. Hearing us described as plucky by an English journalist caused me to do more than that. Cricket is by no means the most popular (or second or third most popular) sport here in terms of participation but those who are interested love it and are wandering around in a happy daze after the last few weeks.
Manners, I think if you go into the granular details, important to remember that on both the turning wickets, India lost the toss and because of that it was difficult for them to chase in the fourth innings. I don't think if I Newzeland had lost the toss and batted fourth in both tests, they would have chased what India couldn't. In the first test matches, the conditions were akin to English or Kiwi conditions, that is why it suited their bowlers.
Even in Pakistan, in the second test, Pakistan won the test because it won the toss. Yes, in the last test they won despite England winning the toss.
So,it's important to keep these things in perspective while analysing a test in the subcontinent.
Remember the first test against England at Hyderabad which India lost, it lost the toss and batted fourth.
I have to admit, I didn't have much hope for NZ in the fourth innings of the last Test.. how hard can it be for India to make 140-odd? More fool me 😅 Amazing series, amazing win 😁
I tried to buy you a coffee but could not get my card to work. Will get help in due course.
In the next four test, India won the toss and went on to win the next two tests. In theast two test, England won the toss and lost both the tests.
So, England should have won three tests but they wasted the opportunity after winning the tosses.
Thank you Neil - as a lifelong New Zealand cricket supporter, the various underdog flavoured stories have made me grit my teeth. Hearing us described as plucky by an English journalist caused me to do more than that. Cricket is by no means the most popular (or second or third most popular) sport here in terms of participation but those who are interested love it and are wandering around in a happy daze after the last few weeks.
Manners, I think if you go into the granular details, important to remember that on both the turning wickets, India lost the toss and because of that it was difficult for them to chase in the fourth innings. I don't think if I Newzeland had lost the toss and batted fourth in both tests, they would have chased what India couldn't. In the first test matches, the conditions were akin to English or Kiwi conditions, that is why it suited their bowlers.
Even in Pakistan, in the second test, Pakistan won the test because it won the toss. Yes, in the last test they won despite England winning the toss.
So,it's important to keep these things in perspective while analysing a test in the subcontinent.
Remember the first test against England at Hyderabad which India lost, it lost the toss and batted fourth.