While the beleaguered New Zealanders have fought back after the embarrassing thrashing they received in Bangladesh, World No 1 India have failed to live up to expectations as second Test, too, ends in a draw.
Vettori and the ‘leadership group’ should hang their heads in shame. They have led the good ship New Zealand aground on a most unexpected reef in Bangladesh.
Vettori’s style of coach (Mark Greatbatch is a facilitator than a coach) has obviously not worked. New Zealand cricket needs a stronger coach and selection panels.
Player power has ruined this team. Let Vettori play in IPL.
I would rather have players that would bat and bowl for New Zealand.
These were some comments published in the New Zealand media after their whitewash in Bangladesh recently. Captain Daniel Vettori was the butt of all the virulence. One wonders if MS Dhoni and his men ever got such riling and dissing in the Indian media. As a member of the New Zealand’s tour party says the Indian media has been too soft on their players.
That may be a New Zealander’s prejudiced overview, but the fact is the best Test team in the world has come second best to No 8 in two successive matches. The No 8 is India’s best batsman in the series. Take out Harbhajan Singh’s runs, and who knows India would have been 0-2 in the series. Surely, better things were expected from the No 1 team, which drew the second Test against the Kiwis at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Tuesday.
Predictably, pitches in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad were blamed for India’s lacklustre showing in the first two Tests. “We would not have got a result in 10 days,” said Mahendra Singh Dhoni, after the match. But Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan, particularly the left-arm spinner, were too full on the final day. The pitch, surely, cannot be blamed for wrong length or line.
On Tuesday, none of the Indian bowlers, save S Sreesanth in the second session, looked capable of taking wickets. Suresh Raina, with two for 38, was the best spinner. Ojha, playing on his home ground, went wicketless in 22 overs. India may have to revisit their spin strategy in the must-win third Test in Nagpur, starting in four days.
Tuesday belonged to New Zealand and Brendon McCullum. The overnight centurion curbed his attacking instincts and held one end up. He had an able ally in Kane Williamson and the two denied India success in the first session. That barren session and the absence of spearhead Zaheer Khan (due to injury) snuffed India’s hopes of a win.
In the post-lunch session, Williamson was removed by Harbhajan, but McCullum continued to flourish. He duly completed his maiden double century before Daniel Vettori declared at 448 for eight at the stroke of tea.
With 327 needed in 30 overs, a draw was the only possible result. It was agreed upon after 17 overs by which Sehwag completed his second half-century of the Test as India ended the match at 68 for no loss. That was one of the two high points of the day for India. The second was the turnout at the stadium. Over 20,000 spectators turned out to watch the dull, drab and dreary draw. Who said Test cricket is dying?
Finally, here is something more about the New Zealand media which has started singing paeans on Vettori & Co. What a relief the Black Caps selection team are not as knee-jerk as the media and public, said a Kiwi expert in his latest post.
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