NZ vs IND | There should be a lot more context to bilateral series, proclaims Kane Williamson
Kane Williamson has stated that the bilateral series requires a lot more context to lure the spectators to the stadium and see a spike in match attendance. He also added that the team needs to reconnect a bit ahead of the series against India as they haven’t played ODI cricket lately.
New Zealand are set to lock horns against India in an ODI series but the talks over match attendance have risen recently after the series between England and Australia saw a massive dip in viewership. The final ODI of the series between the Ashes rivals saw only a few fans enjoying the game from the stands, provoking many to raise questions about the future of ODIs.
Reflecting on the issue, Williamson said that the large volume of cricket being played has impacted the viewership numbers and so bilateral series should be provided with a lot more context.
“It was unfortunate to see, but it also shows the volume of cricket that’s being held. Because no doubt the ICC tournaments are incredibly popular and there has been a lot of cricket on. They (Australia) also had a World Cup on. So, there was a lot on in their country too,” Williamson said on the eve of New Zealand’s opening ODI against India in a press conference.
“So, we must ensure there is a lot more context as possible in games, especially the bilateral series.”
Williamson was recently released by Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the IPL auction for the next season. The batter managed to score just 216 runs from 13 innings at an average of 19.64 and a poor strike rate of 93.51. The move will see the New Zealand skipper present in the auction list giving teams the option to purchase him in the mini-auction in December.
“In terms of the auction we’ll have to wait and see. It’s certainly not up to me. People make their decisions based on their teams and what they are after and that’s how it works,” Williamson opined.
New Zealand played their last ODI series against Australia in September and were clean swept 3-0. However, they will look forward to bouncing back in the ODI format with a series win against India after suffering a defeat in the shortest format. Williamson has stated that they will need to reconnect a bit ahead of the ODI matches against India.
“After a large volume of T20 cricket, the focus naturally shifts to the next one i.e is the ODI tournament. Reluctant to call it preparation, it’s very much focussing on the series at hand and the team reconnecting. There have not been a huge amount of ODIs, it was mostly T20Is, with some Tests. It is about settling down and getting a nice understanding. There is a change in the environment. These are a few factors,” he explained.