Ind vs NZ Test: NZ to play three spinners? With just two days left for the 1st Test, New Zealand have started playing mind games. Coach Gary Stead said he will be willing to play three spinners while the nature of the pitch is yet to be revealed. As New Zealand are not known to be great players against spin and do not boast world-class spinners, Stead might be bluffing. Follow India vs New Zealand Test series Live updates on InsideSport.in
On the other hand, his pace options include Neil Wagner, Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson — all three of them have troubled Indian batters in the WTC Final and in Test series last year. While he has ruled out rank-turners like the Ahmedabad and Chennai pitches during the England series, he believes India will prepare tracks with assistance to spinners.
Ind vs NZ Test: New Zealand coach Gary Stead plays mind games ahead of 1st Test, says ‘We may play 3 spinners’
Training time in Kanpur 🏏 #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/LyjYHIG04k
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 23, 2021
“You have to look and realise how teams come here often and don’t win. That’s the enormity of obvious challenge. The traditional way of playing four seamers and one part-time spinner can’t be the way to go over here. You may see three spinners playing in this game and that will be decided once we have a look at the surface,” Gary Stead said.
Ind vs NZ Test: New Zealand coach Gary Stead plays mind games ahead of 1st Test, says ‘We may play 3 spinners’
Gary Stead said while making it clear that Mumbai-born left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel could play a part in the series.
“From our perspective, we have to change the way we play but also sticking to some of the key principles of Test cricket. We will try to be competitive for long long periods of time.”
A digital appearance in the morning for some of the T20 squad and then departure time for the Test squad to Kanpur. #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/u6gecaG4T0
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 22, 2021
Asked if he would speak to the groundsmen considering what happened during the last home Tests that India played against England, the coach cheekily replied: “I don’t think I really get to have a say in that.”
Ind vs NZ Test: New Zealand coach Gary Stead plays mind games ahead of 1st Test, says ‘We may play 3 spinners’
On a serious note, he said that the England series was a different ball game due to multiple Test matches at the same venue.
“Look, there’s no doubt those were challenging conditions but the difference is that we have two Tests at two different venues and they (England) were playing multiple Tests at the same ground (two in Chennai and two in Ahmedabad).”
Ind vs NZ Test: “We know there will be differences as in Kanpur you will have black clay and in Wankhede, you will have red clay. These are certain adaptations that we have to make,” the coach explained.
Ind vs NZ Test: New Zealand coach Gary Stead plays mind games ahead of 1st Test, says ‘We may play 3 spinners’
Gary Stead wasn’t too fussy about lack of practice games as even India hasn’t played Tests of late since they came from England.
“In this Covid world, it is difficult to get practice games but India is also coming on the back of T20s and is on a similar boat to what we are.”
That’s the reason why Trent Boult’s absence won’t be a factor as even India would be missing regular skipper Virat Kohli (first Test) along with Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, who have been rested for both games due to workload management.
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