IND vs NZ | Still far away from setting a target on fourth day, feels Ravichandran Ashwin
At the end of Day three’s play, Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed that the team is still far away from setting a target for the hosts' second innings. Ashwin has also added that New Zealand used the conditions to the fullest - tailenders with the bat and the bowlers putting India under pressure.
On Day three, Ravichandran Ashwin was one of the most successful bowlers for India, picking up three wickets conceding 99 runs. However, in general, the day has not gone in India’s favour with the lower order adding 123 runs to New Zealand’s total. Following the day’s play, Ashwin in the post-day press conference, admitted that India are still far away from setting New Zealand a target on Day four. The bowler, however, heaped praise on the lower-order batsman, revealing that they now have put a prize on their wicket. Ashwin made it clear that there is enough in the surface to keep the bowlers hungry.Â
“I know to keep it simple that this score is defendable or not, that’s how you would want me to predict. We are far away from setting a target, there are six sessions to go and if we get as close to the score that they got, right now we are not in a stage to predict what score to defend. We have to take it every ball at the time because there is enough in the surface for the bowlers,” Ashwin said in the post-day press conference.Â
The Indian spinner also admitted that New Zealand utilised the conditions to the fullest, both with the bat and the ball, using the wind factor in their favour. On day one, Ashwin revealed that the surface was a tough one to bat on, given the moisture content in the pitch. With rains on day one, batting became tougher as per Ashwin.Â
“I think we have pay too much time on the fact that we have to bowl out teams better. Lower order batsmen put a price on their wicket, earlier we could get a fifer as a bowler. The New Zealand batsmen play to the conditions. Kyle Jamieson has two FC hundreds in his name, Ajaz Patel and Trent Boult can bat too. They used the breeze and hit it right towards the wind,” he added. Â
“If I knew the answer to why tailenders are batting better than the top-order, I would have told you. I think that there is enough in the surface, with moisture on Day 1 and with the rain, it made it difficult to bat on this pitch. However, credit has to be given to them too for bowling the right line and length which has made it difficult for us,” signed off Ashwin. Â