Ace of mace: New Zealand

CHENNAI:  It is a recurring theme. It had happened in each of this team’s tour to England in 2014 and 2018. It had unfolded in Cape Town, Centurion, Wellington, Christchurch and Adelaide for this team, yet they don’t seem to put an end to it. The task in front of India’s batting line-up on Wednesday was not beyond them. This is the team that breached fortress Gabba. One good session with the bat is all that they needed to share the World Test Championship title with New Zealand.

Instead, their indecisiveness cost them the crown. Right through the WTC cycle, India have been the team to beat, winning each of their three home series convincingly, defeating West Indies and Australia away. Their lone series loss came in New Zealand and that should have handed them some lessons that would have helped them a great deal here. It needed them to show discipline against an attack that was going to test them all day long.

The draw at Sydney and win at the Gabba didn’t necessarily arrive because India went for those. In both of those Tests, the plan was to bat as normally as possible, and see where it takes them in the final hour. Surely, they wouldn’t have chosen a different game plan here. With WTC title at stake, maybe they could have resorted to a defensive approach and strengthened their batting depth by playing an extra batsman in Hanuma Vihari. 

At Southampton, to bat normally was a tall order for batsmen, given the quality of attack on both sides. When Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara began the day, they didn’t try to be defensive or show intent for early runs. However, on a pitch where there was still lateral seam movement, they needed to show better application and discipline, both of which were missing on the day. That was the case with the entire batting unit.

The Kiwis knew early inroads is the way to bury the Indians and they didn’t waste any time. Kane Williamson chose to start with Jamieson to partner Tim Southee in the first session over Trent Boult. In these conditions, there is no better bowler than Kyle Jamieson to bowl the sort of line that repeatedly tests a batsman’s resolve — to play or not. His ability to seam the ball both ways means batsmen are always caught in two minds, to defend or to leave. It is exactly what undid Kohli in the sixth over of the day.

The late away movement found Kohli’s edge and New Zealand found the opening. Jamieson also got Pujara — again not sure whether to play or not, the ball took the edge and settled in Ross Taylor’s hands at first slip. With just 40-run lead and ample time left in the day, India tried to hit their way out. Rishabh Pant tried to swing over mid-wicket and failed to connect, attempted reverse-scoop, failed to connect properly a scoop, but those daring efforts didn’t fetch much reward. Southee, Boult and Neil Wagner took care of the remaining six wickets as New Zealand were set 139 to win.

Losing two wickets and surviving some nervy moments, Williamson (52 n.o) and Ross Taylor (47 n.o) ensured the Black Caps lifted the World Test Championship title.

Scoreboard
India 1st innings: 217 New Zealand 1st innings: 249 India 2nd innings: (O/n 64/2): Pujara c Taylor b Jamieson 15, Kohli c Watling b Jamieson 13, Rahane c Watling b Boult 15, Pant c Nicolls b Boult 41, Jadeja c Watling b Wagner 16, Ashwin c Taylor b Boult 7, Shami c Latham b Southee 13, Ishant not out 1, Bumrah c Latham b Southee 0; Extras (b1, lb8, nb1, w1) 11; Total (all out in 73 overs) 170; FoW: 3-71, 4-72, 5-109, 6-142, 7-157, 8-156, 9-170; Bowling: Southee 19-4-48-4, Boult 15-2-39-3, Jamieson 24-10-30-2, Wagner 15-2-44-1. New Zealand 2nd innings: Latham st Pant b Ashwin 9, Conway lbw Ashwin 19, Williamson not out 52, Taylor not out 47, Extras (lb11, nb2) 13; Total (2 wickets, 45.5 overs) 140; FoW: 1-33, 2-44; Bowling: Ishant 6.2-2-21-0, Shami 10.5-3-31-0, Bumrah 10.4-2-35-0, Ashwin 10-5-17-2, Jadeja 8-1-25-0.