Driven Kiwis eye second Test

Hyderabad: The relatively bright weather here on Wednesday brought cheer to both the teams. After the dramatic twists in the first Test at Motera, the series has opened up.

Despite India’s comeback to draw the Test and its own failure to close out the game, New Zealand gained a lot more than the host from the series opener.

After all, India is ranked No. 1 in Test cricket, while the Kiwis occupy the 8th slot. But then, cricket is not driven by numbers.

Stung by the criticism after a disastrous ODI tour of Bangladesh, New Zealand fought hard in Ahmedabad. Meticulous planning - a Kiwi hallmark - preceded the match.

In the end, injury to paceman Hamish Bennett and the resultant lack of firepower and depth in the attack after veteran seamer Chris Martin had made deep inroads came in the way of the visitor securing a famous win.

The New Zealanders will eye the second Test, beginning Friday, with hope and belief. Confidence is a precious commodity.

Test cricket returns to Hyderabad after 22 years. Interestingly, New Zealand was involved in the last Test played here in 1988. That was at a different venue - the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium - and the host was victorious by ten wickets. That was a game where the present New Zealand coach, Mark Greatbatch, came up with an unbeaten 90 in the first innings.

The upcoming Test will be played on a different ground - the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium at Uppal, a suburb on the edge of the city.

The surface here has a reputation for being lively in the first 90 minutes. The pitch gradually favours the batsmen, although, spinners do have a greater say as the match progresses.

Curator Y.L. Chandrasekhar insists the pitch would be sporting in nature. Time will tell.

Watch out for Williamson

From a Kiwi perspective, debutant Kane Williamson’s debut hundred under pressure was welcome news. Given a population that is around only 4.4 million, New Zealand has a limited talent pool to choose from. Considering the odds, the country has performed remarkably well in the sporting arena.

Williamson, who impressed for the New Zealand under-19 and ‘A’ teams, has risen through a well-organised system. According to many, he is New Zealand’s brightest batting prospect since the great Martin Crowe.

It is not hard to comprehend why he is rated so high. Williamson has a still head and a balanced stance, can play off either foot depending on where the ball lands. Crucially, he has time to play the sphere; this suggests he is picking the length quickly.

While his back-foot punches and the front-footed cover-drives stood out, Williamson has a healthy range of strokes. Importantly, the youngster from Tauranga has a cool head in the cauldron. The fluidity in his batsmanship is unmistakable.

Another chance for Gambhir

In his pomp, India’s Gautam Gambhir is light on his feet and heavy with his strokes. However, the opener has suffered a serious loss in form.

Since India’s tour of Bangladesh early this year, the left-hander’s returns in Test cricket are – 12 & 1 in Nagpur and 25 in Kolkata (both against South Africa), 2 & 0 at Galle (against Sri Lanka), 25 & 0 in Mohali (against Australia) and 21 & 0 in Ahemadabad (against New Zealand).

In a disastrous run, Gambhir has made only 86 runs in his last nine Test innings. His early dismissals have left the middle-order vulnerable to incisive spells with the new ball, the kind produced by Martin at Motera.

The strong opening association between the gifted Virender Sehwag and Gambhir was a major factor in India climbing to the No. 1 spot in Tests. The aggressive right-left combination laid the platform, provided momentum to the innings.

These are times though when Gambhir appears to be consumed by self-doubts. He has been wafty outside the off-stump, often playing with limited footwork and away from his body.

Gambhir’s technical difficulties stem from his stance. He does not appear as balanced as he was earlier, seems to be falling over.

The left-hander could be feeling the heat, particularly when Murali Vijay, compact, and classical in Test match cricket, breathing down his neck.

In his last Test, Vijay came up with a solid 139 against Australia in Bangalore – he was involved in a mammoth match-winning 308-run partnership with maestro Sachin Tendulkar. Vijay also shares a wonderful chemistry with Sehwag at the top of the order.

Gambhir might receive one more opportunity but he definitely has to make it count. (www.thehindu.com)