THE KIWI BLUES FOR THE MEN IN BLUE AND THE END OF AN (NEH)ERA

By Team SportsMechanics

When your team boasts some of the finest T20 stalwarts like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, you don’t want to have any kind of poor record in that format, certainly not against a competitive team like New Zealand. Yes, India have never managed to get over the line against New Zealand in 5 attempts so far and they would definitely want to set the record straight this time when these 2 teams clash in the Paytm three match T20I series starting today.

In contrast to the poor record against New Zealand, India has managed to take the upper hand 10 times against the mighty Australians in 15 encounters. Few may argue that Cricket Australia has not prioritized T20I’s in the same manner they have with ODI’s and Tests but any Australian T20I side is highly competitive. A glimpse at the Big Bash League would quell any counter arguments.

Let’s try to break that down for you with the numbers.

New Zealand has played India’s best link which is the spin bowling unit better than the Australians. In the five matches against New Zealand, Indian spinners managed to get just 9 wickets at an average of 34.44 and strike rate of 27.89. However, Australians were found wanting against Indian spinners as they have lost 36 wickets at an average of 28.85 and strike rate of 21.89. But numbers suggest that Australians tend to go hard at Indian spinners (economy of 7.75) and lose wickets whereas the Kiwis intelligently negotiate the Indian spinners (economy of 7.47) and take their chances against the Indian pace bowlers.

It will be very difficult for the Kiwis to negotiate the Indian spinners this time due to the presence of 2 wrist spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, both of whom will go for the wickets rather than containing batsmen, if given a choice. Also with Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar hitting their peaks recently and the presence of the veteran Ashish Nehra, who is playing his last match in professional cricket, India has a completely different fast bowling unit compared to any of the earlier Indian teams New Zealand has faced. 

Looking at things from New Zealand’s perspective, they will look to field almost a same team from their final ODI against India. It is safe to call players like Martin Guptill, Colin Munro and Colin de Grandhomme T20 specialists and they would be licking their lips when they see the dimensions of the Feroz Shah Kotla, the venue for the first encounter.

The Veteran paves way for youngsters:

Ashish Nehra and Chris Gayle are the only players, who made their International debuts in the 20th Century and are still playing T20I. So it was not a surprise when Nehraji (as he is fondly called by his teammates) announced his retirement from professional cricket and it was a fitting finale to end his career at Feroz Shah Kotla, where it all started for him. In fact, in his younger days, the swash-buckling opener Virendar Sehwag used to pick him up in his scooter and they both used to practice together.

It is a heartening occasion to see Nehra retiring on the same day when DDCA (Delhi and District Cricket Association) opens a gate in honor of Virendar Sehwag at the Feroz Shah Kotla.  

Nehra has always been someone who rose up to the occasion. He has been a vital cog and a senior statesman in the team, having mentored numerous victories for India. In his 18-year old International career, he has had the distinction of representing the country in 4 World Cups (2 in ODI’s and 2 in T20I’s) and as the numbers in the graphic suggest, his contribution in the World Cups has been nothing short of phenomenal.

He has recently expressed that he regrets not representing the country in more than 17 Tests. When MS Dhoni and Gary Kirsten, then Captain and Coach of the Indian team wanted him to make a comeback to the Test side, he declined fearing that his body might break down not withholding the rigorous 5 days of Test cricket. If we look back now, he has an unfortunate history of 12 surgeries and many more injuries in his 18 yearlong international career. In an ideal world, one would not think of even walking when you undergo the number of surgeries. But, Nehra did and the fact that he came back successfully out of it to represent India again in T20I speaks volumes about his gritty character.

This contest against the number one side in T20I at his hometown would be a fitting swansong to yet another champion of Indian cricket. Perhaps, we would get to see Nehra jubilating with his arms splayed like a phoenix soaring high, one last time, after resurrecting his career so many times, taking us back to his heroic celebration in the WC 2003 against England.