***Official New Zealand in India Nov-Dec 2021 Thread***

[nzfan]

Thinking back to the previous test match reminded me of a game my son was involved vs Rachin's school. It was Gillette finals at Basin Reserve. HIBS had very good side lead by Troy. I think we set something like 180-190 and had HIBS on the mat. I think 12 or 13 year old Rachin may have scored near 100 in that game at Basin with unbelievable maturity chasing down the total unbeaten despite wickets falling at the other end? Would be great to have a look at that score card. When I look back I can see how much these successful school finals, national finals etc play their role in molding a player over the years. Every time I see Sears, Troy, Rachin and that bunch coming out of the same school that won so much from back to the wall stuff playing super smash finals etc... I feel like they will be all right.

Same with Tom Latham, Kane and the likes as well. The number of finals those guys played then as young kids and consistently put up stand out performances in all important games I guess became a habit and second nature over the years. I don't know if Gillette cup is as popular as it used to be. I hear a lot less about it these days.

 

[Bahnz]

I think for the upcoming game we will definitely see Wagner feature. There's been some rain about in Mumbai I hear. Like Hesson (on sky) I'm a huge fan of Rachin but he may have to make way for Wagner despite his heroics. That is a huge risk but then after the draw last game India will no doubt will make a deck that will spin way more and with more bounce bringing the edges into play. India will also know our middle order didn't do a great job in the previous game and will back themselves going with all out spin.

I'm not sure if I'd drop Sommerville although Indian batting order is full of right handers. This is not to say Rachin isn't capable of picking up few wickets but then Sommerville has had one not so good game so there's not enough to suggest he won't bowl well next game when there is lot more assistance in the pitch. I'm really on the fence who goes out but if by chance they keep Sommerville (Steady and Kane usually give their players a bit more long rope for eg. Jeet Raval) and Wagner plays in place of Rachin I can understand although I'd be like not that kid... he's the one for crisis.

The top 6 will not be fiddled with, that's for sure. You have to take into account these guys haven't had a lot of cricket for months. I expect them to be firing all cylinders by the next game. I'm not expecting everyone to fire, cricket doesn't work that way but I expect all 6 to contribute in different ways at different times in the next test match.

The word from the groundskeepers is that the rain will probably make the surface more favourable to spinners, as they'll have to keep the pitch under covers and won't have the opportunity to water it ahead of the game.

 

[hendrix]

If the BCCI want to make the pitch a bunsen burner/a lottery I'm not complaining about that.

 

[Immenso]

OK. The only thing I was expecting less than a post about Hawke Cup cricketer Taylor Bettelheim in an India v NZ thread ... was ...... two posts about Hawke Cup cricketer Taylor Bettelheim.

 

[Days of Grace]

There’s no way we can leave Ravindra out after he saved us in the last match.

Wagner in for Somerville. Phillips in for Nicholls. The first will likely happen. The latter won’t.

EDIT: I know it can be argued that Somerville played a massive part in saving us but he didn’t do his primary job which is taking wickets.

Of course we could end up getting the selection arse backwards in hindsight, where Wagner should have played the first test and Sommers the second.

 

[Immenso]

I'd rather have Mitchell than Phillips.

Anyway. I find it very hard to judge Nicholls. His visuals often belie the output. I thought he was extremely unlucky in the first innings with his dismissal.

I suspect he is on a decline - obscured by good career numbers (rather like Craig McMillan back in the day). But, how can you tell. So, won't complain if he is given more chances.

 

[NZTailender]

I'd rather have Mitchell than Phillips.

Anyway. I find it very hard to judge Nicholls. His visuals often belie the output. I thought he was extremely unlucky in the first innings with his dismissal.

I suspect he is on a decline - obscured by good career numbers (rather like Craig McMillan back in the day). But, how can you tell. So, won't complain if he is given more chances.

Honestly I just think India is his bogey team. It's nuts how bad his record vs them is compared to everyone else. And it's not like any one bowler has his number - Axar got him twice in the last test, but other than that the wickets are shared evenly between pace and spin bowlers alike.

Edit: isn't so crash hot vs Australia or, bizarrely, Zimbabwe either. His home vs away average is pretty stark too - 50 vs 24.

idk, I feel like he'll come good but maybe he's just a HTB

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, Nicholls has always been prone to some hideous looking dismissals. No batsmen with a 40+ average should be as prone to being bowled through the gate as he is. Will be very hard for the selectors will judge when the time is right to replace him.

 

[hendrix]

There’s no way we can leave Ravindra out after he saved us in the last match.

Wagner in for Somerville. Phillips in for Nicholls. The first will likely happen. The latter won’t.

EDIT: I know it can be argued that Somerville played a massive part in saving us but he didn’t do his primary job which is taking wickets.

Of course we could end up getting the selection arse backwards in hindsight, where Wagner should have played the first test and Sommers the second.

I am also skeptical of Nicholls abilities, but what exactly has Phillips done to earn his shot ahead of the incumbent?

I admit I'm not exactly the most ardent follower of domestic cricket but what are people seeing in Phillips that I'm missing?

As far as I'm concerned Nicholls gets the rest of the summer. You don't just go dropping your number 5 batsman willy nilly.

 

[SteveNZ]

I am also skeptical of Nicholls abilities, but what exactly has Phillips done to earn his shot ahead of the incumbent?

I admit I'm not exactly the most ardent follower of domestic cricket but what are people seeing in Phillips that I'm missing?

As far as I'm concerned Nicholls gets the rest of the summer. You don't just go dropping your number 5 batsman willy nilly.

Nothing. Battled massively in county cricket in the 4-dayers. I know he scored 50 on debut at Sydney but you don't drop someone when the incumbent is not in form and hasn't earned that spot. And I'd back Nicholls to score runs v Bangladesh and SA at home this summer

 

[NZTailender]

I don't think Nicholls has had a 'full' tour of India either IIRC? He may just need more experience.

if we dropped a bloke 1 test into an away series because of a bad match we'd have a rotating door of players and they wouldn't have the opportunity to learn. He's 5 years into his international career, which is awkward as you'd expect he'd have a bit more under his belt, but at the same time, we don't play a huge amount of cricket and I don't think he's done the full world circuit and has done enough to deserve some more rope, but the rope is getting shorter.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Deserves a couple of years at least for calling out that grandma in the WTC final.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'm very partial to dropping Nicholls, but a lot of that is just borne of the fact that I never believed in him in the first place. He's built a really solid (even if recently a bit lucky) career so far on making me look like an idiot, so I think it'd make a lot of sense for those who backed him in the first place to keep backing him at this point.

I don't think it'd just be dropping him for having a bad game though.

 

[nzfan]

I'm very partial to dropping Nicholls, but a lot of that is just borne of the fact that I never believed in him in the first place. He's built a really solid (even if recently a bit lucky) career so far on making me look like an idiot, so I think it'd make a lot of sense for those who backed him in the first place to keep backing him at this point.

I don't think it'd just be dropping him for having a bad game though.

You're not alone, one of the top cricketer said to me he can't believe Henry made a career with that technique. He said it won't even cut for first class. Look where he's now.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

He's built a really solid (even if recently a bit lucky) career so far on making me look like an idiot,

I'm not sure that making you look like an idiot is the motivating factor you seem to think it is.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'm not sure that making you look like an idiot is the motivating factor you seem to think it is.

Seems to motivate enough of your posts tbf.

 

[Prince EWS]

You're not alone, one of the top cricketer said to me he can't believe Henry made a career with that technique. He said it won't even cut for first class. Look where he's now.

Yes, the bent shovel.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Seems to motivate enough of your posts tbf.

One swallow does not a summer make.

 

[Athlai]

Nicholls is a Craig McMillan or Styris level player with actual gun support.

 

[honestbharani]

If the BCCI want to make the pitch a bunsen burner/a lottery I'm not complaining about that.

I dont think there is any actual effort. But it has been raining yesterday and today in Mumbai even though its expected to clear up for the actual test match days. Therefore, while the attempt was to get a turner, the worry is that with the rains just before the test, it may end up being underprepared. The rains kinda happened out of the blue too, it usually never rains this time in the West of India and even a week ago the forecast did not predict rains.