Posted on: Post Date – 10:45 AM, Thu – 11/17/22
India will start its New Zealand tour with the first T20I in Wellington on Friday.
Wellington: Ahead of the first T20I match against New Zealand, India head coach VVS Laxman said batsmen are called to play fearless cricket keeping conditions and circumstances in mind.
India will start its New Zealand tour with the first T20I in Wellington on Friday.
“In T20I cricket we need to play freely and fearlessly and we have players who can go out and express themselves. The message to them from the captain and the management is that they bat fearlessly but also keep the conditions and situation and strategize accordingly,” Laxman told a news conference.
Laxman acknowledged that the shorter format needs more multi-dimensional players, a bowler who can hit and a batsman who can pitch.
“More bowlers who can bat add depth to the batting lineup and give batsmen the freedom to go out and express themselves. This is what the format needs and I’m sure more teams will try to get that in their selection process That, and identifying multidimensional players,” he added.
Regarding the captaincy of captain Hardik Pandya, the head coach said that he is not only good at tactics, but also very calm on the field, which is what is needed to play under the highest level of pressure.
“He’s a fantastic leader. We’ve seen everything he’s done in the IPL. I’ve spent time with him in Ireland. His presence and work ethic is exemplary. He’s the captain of the players and approachable. The players Trust him. He leads by example,” he added.
Laxman said playing in New Zealand was always challenging, especially for the bowlers and outfielders.
“It’s not about the smaller pitches, it’s the size of the pitch. In Wellington and Auckland, there are no normal cricket pitches. The best part of international cricket is you have to adapt to the conditions and situations. I’m sure the team will do that . Depending on the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent, you need to develop a strategy and execute it flawlessly,” he added.
When it comes to strategizing against New Zealand players like Finn Allen, Laxman says analytics are important for teams to strategize, not just for each player, but for those with whom they are less familiar.
Laxman also said he has enjoyed his journey as a coach.
“For me, we shouldn’t be too focused on the results. It’s a pleasure for me. When I joined the NCA, it was to give back to Indian cricket. It was an opportunity to share my knowledge and experience with the youngsters, and It’s fulfilling. What I’ve seen in Ireland is that these youngsters are talented but they’re always looking to learn and grow and improve as players and that’s exciting. Their thought process is exciting,” he added.
The head coach praised batsman Shub Manjill, calling him a “game winner”.
Laxman said the Indian Premier League (IPL) has helped develop a talent pool for white-ball cricket and a strong domestic cricket structure has created the same for red-ball cricket.
Amid a busy cricket schedule, Laxman admitted that this is certainly the case and that India are lucky to have so many young talents to choose from.
“As a selector, you have to be mindful of when a player should be rested because they can help him rejuvenate physically and mentally. India has a pool of talent that we can choose from. In the white ball field, you need specialists. You need T20I specialists, which will is the way forward. Managing their workload, selecting talent from the pool of talent we have has been a blessing for Indian cricket,” he concluded.
After the World T20 in Australia, India will travel to New Zealand for a white-ball series of three T20Is and as many ODIs. The series will run from November 18-30, with New Zealand returning to India for the White Ball series next January.
Team New Zealand T20Is: Hardik Pandya (C), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson (wk), W Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umran Malik.
New Zealand T20I squad: Kane Williamson (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devin Conway, Rock Ferguson, Darryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Jimmy Nethem, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Soddy, Tim Socie and Blair Tickner.
