Rashid Latif Points Out Reasons Why India Failed In Wellington Test
Feb 26, 2020 at 2:00 AM
While the Indian team was outclassed by the hosts New Zealand in the Wellington Test, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif feels disappointed with the performances of the Indian cricketers.
Wellington Test was the first game of the two-match Test series between the hosts New Zealand and the visitors India. The hosts won the toss and decided to field first in that game.
While the no.1-ranked Test team was bundled out for just 165 runs in the first innings, the hosts replied with 348 runs in their first innings. The visiting batsmen again failed in their second innings as they managed to score 191 runs in that innings. New Zealand chased down the nine runs target in the fourth innings without opening their wicket column in that innings.
Talking about India’s poor performances in that entire Test match, Rashid Latif pointed out India’s failure in the planning.
Rashid Latif believes that the Indian batsmen should have attacked the Kiwi bowlers in the first innings as the visitors left many boundary balls.
The former Pakistan captain told on his YouTube channel, “India’s record in overseas conditions is not too good. India did not play their natural game, they were bogged down in both the innings. This is not how India play, when you leave so many boundary balls and keep leaving balls, there will be one ball with your name on it.”
India should have attacked in their first innings: Rashid Latif
Also, Rashid Latif pointed out that the Indian bowlers disappointed by targeting stumps in the seam and swing bowling conditions while outside the off stump bowling could be more effective. While the experienced Ishant Sharma took five wickets during New Zealand’s first innings, the other Indian pacers, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami only managed to pick up one wicket each.
Rashid Latif feels that the right-arm fast bowler Umesh Yadav would have achieved success in that condition than Bumrah and Shami.
The former Pakistan skipper added, “India should have attacked in their first innings, batting disappointed but bowling was also disappointing. Umesh Yadav would have succeeded here, Bumrah and Shami kept targeting stumps. In Test cricket, especially when conditions are conducive to seam and swing, you have to target outside the off stump and get the batsmen driving.”
New Zealand and India will play the second and final game of this Test series at Christchurch from 29th February. It will be the must-win game for India to save this Test series.