The New Zealand bowling Coach, Shane Jurgensen, has put a hint that the New Zealand Test skipper, Kane Williamson, will be fit before the start of the third and the final Test match at Indore and will participate in the final Test match, thus strengthening the batting line-up of Kiwis.
“It’s looking positive. Final confirmation on that will probably be tomorrow. We trained today and he did some batting and had a decent hit and a run-around. We will have another look at him tomorrow but it looks positive,” Jurgensen said at a press conference at Indore.
Both the participating teams arrived at Indore, yesterday, where they received a warm welcome from the fans and the public when they reached the city. The fans were waiting for them in numbers; they were lined up at the side of the road which led to the team hotel. The heartful gesture touched the New Zealand team and the Kiwi all-rounder Jimmy Neesham tweeted about the same. The bowling coach did note this gesture at the press conference and said
“It is unbelievable. Our arrival last night the streets were lined with people. It’s very exciting to see the reception we have had and even training today they’re clapping wickets and fours and sixes. It is going to be a pretty loud test match I think so it is actually good training for us. We welcome them to come to training because I think that is going to be the next five days.”
However, it has been a woeful series for New Zealand so far as they are yet to win a game in this series. They narrowly escaped a loss against Mumbai in the practice game, injury to their strike bowler Tim Southee added to their woes.
Jimmy Neesham, who made a comeback in the Test squad as an all-rounder also got his name registered in the injury list missing the first two Test matches, Mark Craig returned back home as well. Severe illness to captain Kane Williamson was the last thing the team wanted.
Ross Taylor led the team in the second Test match, the game did not even last five days as Indian bowlers wrapped the New Zealand batting line up on the fourth day with just an over and a half to go.
Shane Jurgensen is also hopeful that along with Kane, Jimmy Neesham will also be fit before the start of the final Test match as he said “His ribs have settled down nicely. He has got through quite a few overs in the last week and had an extra bowl the day after the game and another bowl today. He got through five or six overs today no problems.”
The addition of these two players will be a big boost for the visitors and we can hope for something new in the final Test match.