IND vs NZ | Batsmen will have a big role to play in New Zealand, reveals VVS Laxman
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Former India batsman VVS Laxman feels India must play six batsmen in the Tests against New Zealand as he believes the batsmen will have a big role to play in the Test match. He further adds the openers and the No. 3 have to spend time at the crease if India were to go big in the first innings.
Former Indian batsman VVS Laxman said that batsmen will have a big role to play in the New Zealand Test match. While he admitted that the fast bowlers have played a major role in India's overseas triumphs of late but suggested that India must play six batsmen in the first Tests against the Kiwis. The Hyderabad batsman further said the openers and the No. 3 have to spend time at the crease if India were to go big in the first innings.Â
“While the fast bowlers have been rightly eulogized for their part in India’s triumphs away from home, I feel the batsmen will have a big role to play as well, It’s imperative for the top order, the openers and the No. 3 to spend time at the crease if India were to go big in the first innings, a recipe for success overseas," said Laxman, reported Times Of India.
VVS feels that the New Zealand side is extremely difficult to beat in their backyard but also knows that India has travelled well to all parts of the world over the last couple of years and are very much prepared to take on the Kiwis.
"I anticipate a close contest between two evenly matched sides. New Zealand are extremely difficult to beat in their backyard, but over the last couple of years, India has travelled well to all parts of the world," he added.
India would be keen to bounce back on the tour after being whitewashed 3-0 in the ODI series. But with missing first-choice openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan due to injury, Mayank Agarwal is likely to have Prithvi Shaw or Shubman Gill as his opening partner. He further expressed delight to see Mayank Agarwal back to scoring runs and feels Gill should be spoken to and made clear of his role expected by the team.
"It was good to see Mayank Agarwal back among the runs, even if it was in the second innings of the warm-up game. It looks like Prithvi Shaw will open alongside Agarwal because he opened in both the innings of the practice match, but I hope the decision-makers have spoken to Shubman Gill and told him exactly what role they expect him to play. After all, it’s not easy to be a prospective opening batsman one day and a potential middle-order batsman the next, In a short away series, I would prefer India play six batsmen, Wriddhiman Saha as the wicketkeeper and three quicks among the four bowlers," he added.
Laxman further had to say that if Ishant Sharma has even the slightest question mark over Ishant’s match-fitness, Umesh Yadav should get his opportunity.
"If the team management is convinced that Ishant Sharma is a risk-free proposition, he will automatically walk into the XI to form the pace battery with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. (But) If there is even the slightest question mark over Ishant’s match-fitness, Umesh Yadav should get his opportunity, especially after having held his own on the less responsive tracks in India," Laxman signed off.
