Pune: New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell has urged his team to quickly move on from their historic win in Bengaluru and brace up for the potentially spin-friendly conditions in the second Test against India, starting at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium here on Thursday.
After securing a memorable victory in the opening Test — their first in India in 36 years, Mitchell stressed the importance of adaptability as the Black Caps prepare to face a determined Indian side looking to level the three-match series.
New Zealand’s 1-0 lead has intensified the race for places in the World Test Championship final, but Mitchell emphasized that the team’s focus is firmly on the present. “One thing we can’t do is change the surface,” Mitchell said in the pre-match press conference. “It’s all about reacting to what’s coming at us and adapting on the fly.”
The all-rounder believes New Zealand’s ability to stay grounded and present in the moment will be crucial as they prepare to encounter vastly different conditions from those at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. “As Kiwis, we pride ourselves on getting stuck into the moment, staying where our feet are, and being as present as possible,” he said.
India is expected to come back strongly in the second Test, especially with the conditions in Pune likely to favour spin. Mitchell acknowledged that New Zealand would need to quickly adapt to the surface and the threat posed by India’s world-class spinners. However, he expressed confidence in his team’s ability to devise a game plan that would allow them to take 20 wickets and score runs in the challenging conditions.
Reflecting on the first Test, Mitchell downplayed the significance of the historic win, stating that New Zealand was focused on the task ahead. “It’s another Test match now. What has been, has been. I’m obviously very grateful to win that Test match, but at the same time, it’s a different ground, different surface, and we’ll be ready to go from the first ball.”
In the first Test, India’s aggressive approach, led by Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant, put New Zealand under pressure with a flurry of runs. However, Mitchell revealed that the Black Caps remained unfazed during the onslaught, recognising that Bengaluru’s pitch tends to favour fast scoring. “Rishabh is a world-class player, and I seriously respect how he plays his cricket. But at Bangalore, it’s a fast-scoring ground, and we knew we just needed to keep trying to take wickets and put pressure on them,” Mitchell explained.
Heading into the second Test, Mitchell highlighted the importance of understanding the unique challenges posed by India’s pitches, which vary in soil composition from venue to venue.
The pitch at the MCA Stadium in Pune, with its black soil, and Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai’s red soil will offer different challenges for the touring side. “Every country has its different challenges. It’s understanding the threats that each pitch gives you and finding ways to negate that, but also putting pressure back on the bowlers,” he said.
Mitchell expressed confidence in New Zealand’s ability to adapt, drawing on their experiences playing on spinning tracks in other countries like Sri Lanka. “You’ve got to be confident in your plans and try to repeat them for long periods of time. That’s the nature of playing spin over here,” he added.
The all-rounder also reflected on a monumental week for New Zealand sport, as the men’s team’s victory in Bengaluru coincided with the New Zealand women’s team winning their maiden T20 World Cup. “It was an awesome week for New Zealand sport,” Mitchell said. “We were all cheering the girls on, and to win a Test match here in India is always special.”
–IANS
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