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New Zealand’s assisntant coach believes that his side can use India’s approach with spin to hopefully replicate similar results on Day 2.
New Zealand will hope to get going with the ball on Day 2 of the second Test in Pune. (Image: Sportzpics)
The former New Zealand international and now assistant coach, Luke Ronchi suggested that the Kiwis would be looking to use India’s approach with spin when play resumes on day two of the second Test here in Pune.
For India, the off-spin pair of Washington Sundar (7/59) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3/64) cleaned up the New Zealand batters for 259 runs following which India reached 16/1 at stumps on Day 1.
“If you notice, for the first couple of sessions, the Indians were bowling quite quick — the spinners and towards the back end they started to slow their pace,” Ronchi told the media after the day’s play.
“That sort of made for variable, a bit more turn and bounce and variable sort of reactions off the surface, so that’s something we can use in our bowling innings, knowing that changes of pace are quite significant,” he added.
Ronchi credited Sundar’s approach with the ball as his accuracy enabled him to get the most out of the surface.
“It was just this consistency of being able to hit a good area for long periods of time. There were some balls that went really wide in the crease,” he shared.
“He got some good drift and the ball that got Rachin (out) was from really wide and straight and hit (the off stump). That’s a really nice ball to bowl for anyone,” he added.
Ronchi said while the pitch here at the MCA Stadium did not offer as much spin as it was anticipated, the key for New Zealand would be to keep it tight against the Indian batters.
“Both teams could quite easily say at the start of the day, they thought this wicket would turn more than it has so far, but again, it’s just about tomorrow for us, build pressure, bowl in some good areas and get that ball (off) variable bounce,” he added.
Ronchi said the pitch here at the MCA Stadium is not the one to assure batters that they have settled down.
“We saw some balls today really jumped off a length and then some stayed a little bit, they just skidded through a little bit, it’s going to be a surface where maybe as the game goes on you’re not going to feel like you’re actually in,” he added.
(with PTI Inputs)
