A WORLD TEST CHAMPION IS CROWNED AFTER A GREAT TEST AND A RIVETTING DAY OF TEST CRICKET – THE WHOLE DAY ANALYSED
SESSION 1
The first session – the session that would pave the way for the next two sessions. How many wickets can New Zealand take? Can Pujara and Kohli score runs and still be able to restrict NZ from taking wickets? How will India approach the session? Who will be the leader in the session? Several questions, one answer – VICTORY IS THE AIM.
That is what the approach from both the sides seemed to be. Be it New Zealand giving all of its bowlers, except de Grandhomme a chance to bowl or the way Kohli approached the ball trying to score runs, or be it the way the New Zealand bowlers were switching the angle, and the length or the way Pant was coming forward and taking them on. The first session was just magical and it was a session that kept both sides heartbeat’s high at all time, and everyone was on their toes, either then being faced with disappointment or the chance to cheer forward their team’s performance.
The highlights of the innings were Jamieson’s consistency and perfection in his lines and lengths as he got two crucial and quick wickets, along side the not out knock played by Rishabh Pant scoring at a strike rate of 58.33 in the first session. But the roles that the others played can definitely not be overlooked. From Rahane holding the ground well for some time, to Boult coming in and replying well to Rahane hitting him for a boundary, as well as the brilliant wicket – keeping by BJ Watling who even seemed to sustain some injury (which was later confirmed to be a dislocated right hand ring finger).
The first wicket to fall was Kohli and it was Jamieson getting him out for the second time in the same match. This was a good ball coming across Kohli and passing just around the area of uncertainty and Kohli neither defended it, neither left it and nor did he play it completely. He was pushing towards the ball a bit, and it looked a half – hearted shot that he was not sure about playing, and the ball caught the edge, just clipped it in a way and went straight into the safe hands of BJ Watling. This was very different from what Jamieson did in the first innings. In the first innings, he looked to swing the ball in and trap Kohli with that very good and technical ball but this time around NZ played to what is somewhat a weakness of Kohli, where he likes to play the deliveries that are to his off – side but that ball was placed just well enough to have Kohli guessing and get that edge. So, both of the times it was impressive bowling by Jamieson that got the wicket, but the approach was different, also as Kohli as was playing differently as well as compared to the first innings in which he was looking to leave and defend more and bat for longer whereas that was not his approach in the morning session of Day 6.
Pujara’s dismissal was not gotten on a delivery which Pujara approached aggressively or tried to play half – heartedly but rather it was a dismissal in which he was trying to defend but misjudged the ball and positioned his bat too much into him but just enough outside that it got the edge, and since it wasn’t a soft edge, it was thick edge, it changed its path and flew to the slip cordon. It was just another Jamieson brilliance where he consistently tries to keep getting that edge, and eventually with his one moving ball which the batsman misjudges and the bowler gets the result he wanted.
The break that came in between the wicket of Pujara and the wicket of Rahane was a crucial one, which went in the favour of India. Pant was dropped, a rarity in the slip cordon for NZ and Tim Southee, but that drop and the runs that India got in those few overs, changed the dynamic of the innings by a lot all over again, and it seemed that the partnership was settling especially Rahane had settled well and was able to free his hands well as well, especially as compared to how he batted and performed in the first innings of the match. That was a good sign, especially as Rahane generally bats very well at times when India needs a player like him to go long and go big, after a collapse or against a tough opposition in tough conditions.
Rahane had settled well and probably if he hadn’t gone for what was a delivery which could have been safely left, he would have done great damage from the perspective of New Zealand. But Boult bowled on his leg – side which drawed not exactly a shot but it did draw Rahane in to try and hitting that ball, and Rahane made contact, but it did not go away from the wicket – keeper rather was safely and easily caught by the wicket – keeper BJ Watling. That shot was most probably an instinctive shot that Rahane played, as he does not shy away from scoring runs on the leg – side especially when there isn’t a leg slip or a leg gully fielder.
The Rishabh Pant knock in the first innings was all about playing the delivery. It is not like he went out and forward to take on every ball and try and hit a four or a six, he also defended well. He has a good and quick defence especially for balls coming in to him. He did try and take on the bowlers as much as he could but he even applied some of his learnings from the first innings as well. Jamieson went with his plan which he succeeded in taking the wicket with in the first innings. But Pant was not playing those deliveries which were coming across, like he did in the first innings. Some of the shots that Pant tried to play especially against Wagner seemed outrageous but there was the guarantee, that he was either missing it and returning back to his crease well, or he would hit it big.
SESSION 2
The second session started with Jadeja and Pant still batting, and there wasn’t a change in their approach but there was one change, it was how New Zealand were bowling. Jamieson opened the session from New Zealand but it was Wagner who was bowling a lot of overs, and NZ were using the short balls and the bouncers. Wagner bowls great short balls, and bouncers and he can continuously bowl these short balls at the right line, with some movement as well.
The plan was to keep bowling short to Jadeja and even Pant, both of whom are left – handed batsmen. New Zealand had set up a very good field, which did not allow the two batsmen to take on the short ball and try and hit it towards the legside, and they could not hit it towards the off – side as the ball was bowling at the leg – stump and even further to the left of it. Jadeja was leaving the ball well, and even took some blows on his body, just so that they do not lose a wicket. New Zealand were mixing it up and while from one end, there was Wagner bowling, from the other end their was Williamson and this was a great strategy. They were attacking the batsmen in both the way. Wagner was bowling those bouncers on the leg – side whereas Jamieson was bowling across at very high speeds, at around the good length. Wagner was drying the runs whereas Jamieson was attacking. Jadeja was surviving both as he wasn’t very interested in Wagner’s short balls and was able to defend and leave well against Jamieson’s deliveries. Jadeja was keeping the bat close to his body, and very close which was the right technique and he was moving his body just enough to leave the ball.
This is where New Zealand were failing initially as what New Zealand required where that either Jadeja tries to play a shot and gets out, or make an error while defending against Jamieson, with one important point to not hear that majority of the balls of Jamieson at that points of time were not hitting the stumps. Jadeja wasn’t doing any either of those two. And if India would have gotten past this plan successfully, India could have possible had a lead of around 20 more runs at the least. But then there was that one surprise delivery by Wagner which wasn’t a part of the short ball barrage, it was more of good length and Jadeja did not keep the bat close to him and leave the ball rather he took his bat out a little and that is where Wagner got the edge. The fuller length, even though it wasn’t very full, which increased the chance of an edge considering how Jadeja was playing. That surprise shook things up otherwise India could have been way better off.
Now India could not afford to lose another wicket and this point of time what was a little bit questionable from India’s perspective was the approach of R. Ashwin and the shot selection by Pant on the delivery he got out. India would have probably been better off with Ashwin holding his end and scoring runs slowly and staying for long rather then being the one with the higher chances of being dismissed. India, after having lost 3 key batsmen in the first session, had also lost the luxury of taking a chance. Some might argue that Ashwin would have gotten out even while defending, well yes, there are those chances but Ashwin has a strong and good defense, his chances of getting out were lower and it isn’t like his approach should have been to just defend. No, but he could have been more careful in the way he batted.
Pant also chose the wrong shot on the wrong delivery which made it double wrong for him on that ball, and that was where India’s chances of losing the match increased significantly and NZ’s chances of winning the match also increased significantly and a draw was almost ruled out. Now, Ashwin had to become a Pujara while also staying true to his tyle but he did not last for long, and that was almost where the only hopes now left for India were that the tailenders are able to atleast bat out some overs, in order to reduce the number of overs available to New Zealand, but New Zealand had a plan for that. New Zealand did not give the Indian tailenders any chance and any space as such. They were on point, bowling close to their body. Shami was given a little space to bat and he capitalised to add on valuable 13 runs before he was carried away a little and New Zealand got his dismissal, because otherwise before that he had defended the Yorker by Boult also. This was another key moment and after that came Bumrah who was again out for a duck. Bumrah scored 0 runs in both innings combined.
The Indian innings was over, 2 overs were to be lost from the day due to the innings change, and hence, New Zealand needed to score just 139 runs to win in 53 overs. But with the pitch having been baked by the sun, and footworks being present visibly, India had spinners who could use that, and the pitch was still providing some movement, and that is where the seamers come in and hence, it was not going to be easy even at that point. Hence, the first target for New Zealand was to survive till Tea. Which they did.
The India bowlers did well, with Kohli deciding to go with Ishant as always, but deciding to go with Shami over Bumrah, which was not at all a wrong decision, but if somewhere Kohli lost out a little maybe, then that was that not even one of the 8 overs was given to a spinner. India should have tried atleast one over of spin to increase their chances of forcing a dismissal. The Indian bowlers did trouble the batsmen but did not trouble Devon Conway as much. The positives for India were the facts that the Indian bowlers were founding their lengths and lines well.
SESSION 3
One session, 45 overs, 120 golden runs for New Zealand victory. 10 Kiwi wickets for India’s victory,. Possibilities still wide open. The stage was set and the game was pretty much in the balance until the first drinks break, after which the game started become more and more one – sided and by the second drinks break, the winner was almost confirmed.
At first, India was playing to Conway’s strengths majorly in almost all balls bowled, almost all deliveries that is, to him. You had a short ball, but that was going towards his leg side, i.e. his strong zone against the short ball. Then India brought Ashwin for some spin and the results were there in front of everyone. Two quick dismissals. Ashwin is a smart, cunning spinner. He knows how to deceive the batsmen. He has variations that are hard for the batsman to spot upon the release of the ball, but are the difference between the ball spinning away or continuing its line. He isn’t a very slow bowlers either. And that is how he strikes so effectively with his variations, with his change ups of length and line, and with his wit.
India were unable to take another wicket in that first hour after Tea, but just before the end of the hour and the drinks break, India bowled 21 consecutive dot balls, a great feat achieved by on point bowling, a great combination of Shami and Ashwin being used and very good and on – point field placement. Then came the Drinks Break which just seemed to have broken that momentum for the India side and the Kiwis were able to get some quick runs after which India had to make some field changes, and that change also led to a flurry of more runs, and that is where New Zealand’s chances of winning the match went up a lot and crossed the 90% mark as till before those flurry of runs, there was this aspect of India taking two more quick wickets and then also being able to deal with the likes of Jamieson and de Grandhomme, but after that flurry of runs the second part of India being able to easily deal with the likes of Jamieson disappeared and its possibility shrank to almost 0, and hence, that is where NZ came on top.
Then slowly it seemed that the long came started reflecting in the Indian players, with a couple of dropped catches but the bowlers ere showing that no, India were still not going to let New Zealand win this or atleast win this easily. But then as New Zealand’s luck had it, wickets did not fall and with every passing ball, the freedom with which they could play increased even while the Indian bowlers were bowling beautiful deliveries at the right lines and lengths. If there is something to talk about in terms of length, it is just that in that Shami – Ashwin bowling spell during which India got two wickets and bowled 21 straight dot balls, Shami could have bowled a little fuller, and there was the possibility of another wicket atleast.
And then fittiningly, it was New Zealand who hit a splendid boundary to seal the victory for New Zealand – the first ever ICC World Test Champions.
All in all, it was a great day of cricket. Up next is the full review of the whole test match where we take a look at the best Player, bowler, batsman, most important session, rain or bad light interruption and much more, coming soon.
|THE ULTIMATE TEST’S TESTS FOR THE BEST IN TEST WAS WON BY NZ|
spielens 