World Test Championship toppers India were given a harsh reality check by New Zealand at Basin Reserve in Wellington in the first Test of two matches in the Test series. After an attritional first two days, New Zealand thumped India on the third day and then made light work of the game by wrapping things up in the first session on day four. Here we discuss some takeaways for India from the series.
Is Shaw good enough?
Prithvi Shaw was touted to be the next Virender Sehwag and showed as much flair and flamboyance in the opening Test match. The New Zealanders worked him over with outswing in the first innings and inswing in the second as the opener looked technically inept to handle the moving ball. Shaw’s installation at the top ahead of an in-form Shubman Gill – who had made runs with the India A side in Kiwi Land – had raised questions earlier and now they seem validated after some no-show from Shaw.
Though it might sound harsh to sideline Shaw after a single game, that he technically appears incapable to handle the Kiwi seamers should worry the think-tank and call for a replacement. Gill is available and ready to step in although a left-field move would be to open with Pujara and install Gill in the middle-order to give the newbie a less difficult initiation into Test cricket.
To spin or not to spin
Since the beginning of 2018, pacers have taken 222 wickets in New Zealand while spinners have just 28 wickets in all. It speaks volumes about the kind of pitches New Zealand have been producing. Yet, both sides chose to play a spinner apiece in the opening fixture at Wellington. While Ashwin bowled 29 overs and snared three wickets, Ajaz Patel bowled six overs in all.
There’s no questioning Ashwin’s impact and the manner in which he bowled but would another pacer have troubled the Kiwis more than the off-spinner in these conditions. Would an in-form Jadeja have bowled as well and even contributed in the field and with the bat from lower down the order? Ashwin, no doubt, is a fantastic player and his overseas record has only improved over the years. It might, however, just be that the New Zealand conditions suit another pacer more. Would India dare to go all-pace at Christchurch?
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All said and done, it’s just one loss and India are at the top of the World Test Championship table. As Virat Kohli said post-match, “it’s just a game of cricket” and one loss shouldn’t be a “big deal”.
“We know we haven’t played well but if people want to make a big deal out of it, make a mountain out of it, we can’t help it as we don’t think like that,” the skipper said at the post-match media interaction.