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 Dismissing the embarrassing 10-wicket defeat in the first Test against New Zealand as “just one bad game”, Indian captain Sourav Ganguly today said his team had the potential to bounce back and square the two-match series. “It was just one bad game, one bad Test for most of them. It is now important to get the mindset right and try to bounce back in the next match,” Ganguly said after his team lost the Test within three days. “We batted below par in this Test. We have to put up an improved performance in Hamilton. I hope we bat much better and square the series,” he said.
“We had fought back by getting them out for 247 and then we needed to score 250-300 in the second innings to have a contest. But we were all out for 121.” The Indians could manage to bat for just 96.5 overs in two innings on the grassy Basin Reserve pitch to suffer one of their worst defeats in recent times. But Ganguly was not prepared to give an excuse for the debacle, saying the players were professionals and should be able to adjust to different conditions. “There’s no point giving an excuse of having played too much cricket. It can be hard touring but that is the way life is. We have to get used to it,” he said.
Indian coach John Wright was also disappointed with his batsmen’s inept batting display, saying they lacked application. “I am disappointed because this was the pitch where our bowlers could have taken 20 wickets. If we had taken a lead of 150-160, we could have put pressure on New Zealand,” said Wright. Wright said discipline was key to batting well in New Zealand but the Indians failed to adjust to the conditions. “It is important to leave a lot of deliveries outside the off-stump. Mark Richardson just showed how to bat on this wicket,” commented Wright as he commended the New Zealand opener’s match-winning 89 in the first innings. He said even though the conditions in New Zealand and England are similar, the pitch at Basin Reserve had more bounce and pace.
“This wicket seamed and bounced more than what we encountered in England. I said before the match the biggest test for us was adjusting to these conditions and obviously we didn’t manage that. “Nobody really got on. We have to be a lot stronger in the next Test,” he said. Most of the Indian batsmen were out fiddling at deliveries outside the off-stump as New Zealand pace bowlers, led by Shane Bond, ripped through the batting line-up.
Wright said his batsmen were experienced enough to understand the lesson ahead of the second Test at Hamilton, starting next Thursday.
“Really, they are quality players and if they dig in, they would be able to provide a treat to the cricket fans of this country.” On Zaheer Khan’s first five-wicket haul, Wright said, “He bowled well but we have to find somebody for the other end,” said Wright. |
