IND vs NZ | Indian batters need to convert their starts into three figures, stresses Wasim Jaffer

It's the first time in the last 14 months that India has lost a Test match and that too by an overwhelming margin of 10 wickets. It was a complete no show by the World’s No.1 Test side at the Basin Reserve as New Zealand trampled over them in a comprehensive way.

India domestic stalwart Wasim Jaffer has hailed Indian batsmen’s failure to grind out the Kiwi bowling attack for such humiliation. Jaffer shared that the batsmen must capitalise on their starts convert them into big scores if India are looking to salvage some pride at the end of the two-game series.

“Virat has a lean patch for a while, so I am expecting him to come back stronger. Pujara needs some runs under his belt. Most importantly, they need to convert their starts into three figures; if that doesn’t happen and if we don’t put score of 350-400 runs then it is difficult [for India to come back in the series],” Jaffer told PTI.

“In 200-250 (runs) you can’t win a Test match unless there is much help from the pitch. When we bat first or bat second, we need to score 400-450 runs,” Jaffer said.

Jaffer was clearly disappointed the way India played the first Test, without intent, without any resistance to the opposition. But the Mumbai lad is confident that the side will bounce back strong at the Hagley Oval as they have done numerous times in the past.

They kept our run-rate in check and kept our batsmen under pressure for long periods. I felt that in the first innings the conditions were favourable for bowlers, but they worked out a strategy of bouncers and we should have batted better in the second innings. To get out both times under 200 is unlike the No. 1 Test team.

“There is no doubt that they India will come back hard in the next Test (in Christchurch), which they should and they have always done that in the past. Whenever they have been put under pressure, they have bounced back very strongly. I’m expecting the same thing,” he said.