The New Zealand team is seeing the potentially challenging spinning track at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium as an opportunity rather than a setback ahead of the second Test against India.
Following their historic victory in Bengaluru, where they dismissed India for their lowest home Test score of 46 in the first innings, the Kiwis are going into the game with optimism.
With the hosts desperate to level the series and keep their World Test Championship final hopes alive, a spin-friendly track is on the cards. The black soil surfaces, known for offering lower bounce and slower turn, have been prepared with a view to neutralize New Zealand’s formidable pace attack that proved to be challenging in the series opener. However, New Zealand captain Tom Latham sees a potential advantage in these conditions.
“I guess whatever we’re presented with, it’s about, for us, trying to adapt as quick as we can; that’s something that we can’t control with the wicket. So it’s about trying to go out there and adapt as quick as we can, and if it’s going to be a wicket that turns a little bit more, then we’ve obviously got four spinners in our line-up, so fingers crossed that will play into their hands, but yeah, as I said, it’s about trying to adapt on the run, and try not to go into the game with too many preconceived ideas,” Latham said on the eve of the second Test.
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It’s about accepting what’s in front of us: Rachin Ravindra
In 2017, a similar spinning track backfired for India when Australia registered a historic win on the back of Steve O’Keefe’s 12-wicket match haul. The historic achievement hasn’t gone unnoticed by the visitors al-rounder Rachin Ravindra expressed confidence in the team’s ability to capitalise on challenging conditions.
“If it’s an extreme wicket, it almost brings us into the game more. If you win the toss, all of a sudden you take a couple of wickets and you’re right into the game on a wicket that’s pretty spicy and turns a lot. As a team, it’s about accepting what’s in front of us. We can’t change that. We can’t control what wicket they’re going to roll out,” Ravindra said.
The team management is considering adjusting their playing XI to include an additional spinner. With Michael Bracewell’s absent due to personal reasons, New Zealand has options like Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi.
Fresh after becoming only the third New Zealand captain to win a Test in India, Latham is focused on the challenge ahead. He pointed out the team’s forward-looking mindset. “But our attention turned quickly to this game, and we’re trying not to, I guess, rest on what happened last week, as trying to take the confidence from last week, and take that into this game, and hopefully hit the ground running.”