New Zealand batter Henry Nicholls feels that even though they have an inexperienced group of players in the team, they are still a good enough team to put India under massive pressure. The Black Caps have opted to go for quite a young team for the assignment and had even handed an international debut to pacer Kristian Clarke in the opening match. They also gave a chance to inexperienced spinner Adithya Ashok in the playing XI.
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Inexperienced but impressive bowling attack
Despite not being heavily experienced, the Kiwi bowlers put in a decent effort and made it quite hard for India to chase down the 301-run target. The hosts eventually won the match with only six deliveries loeft to spare.
Nicholls believes that even though it is quite challenging to bowl to stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, their bowlers will be able to put them under the pressure if they are able to adapt to the conditions well.
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“That’s the challenge when you come over here, and certainly as a young group — even as an experienced group — when you play against players who have played that much cricket. But to see it firsthand in the first game, and the way the guys adapted, particularly from a bowling point of view, bowling to those guys and finding ways to try and put them under pressure, was encouraging,” Nicholls said at the pre-match press-conference.
“If we are able to do some of those things, even as an inexperienced side, then the nature of cricket is that if you’re able to take wickets, you’re able to put teams under pressure,” he addeed.
New Zealand had put in a great effort with the bat in the series opener against India. Daryl Mitchell was their star performer and scored 84 runs while both Nicholls and Devon Conway scored valiant fifties to provide the team with a strong start. It was thanks to these knocks that they were able to reach the 300-run mark in 50 overs.
NZ's dismal ODI record in India
Meanwhile, New Zealand have never won an ODI series in India and the Men in Blue will end up clinching it if they win the 2nd ODI in Rajkot. It remains to be seen as to who will come out on top at the Niranjan Shah stadium on January 14.