Shashwat Tiwari, a net bowler, revealed that New Zealand’s batting lineup faced difficulties against leg spin bowling as they prepared for the Champions Trophy final against India in Dubai. The highly anticipated match between India and New Zealand, two formidable teams in cricket, is set to take place in a vibrant, sold-out stadium.
Leading up to this exciting contest, Shashwat, who assisted the Kiwis in their net practice, disclosed details about their strategic planning. He indicated that the Blackcaps were focused on improving their technique to counter left-arm spin, suggesting they encountered some challenges in this area.
Recounting his experience, Shashwat mentioned being instructed to bowl from 18 yards to simulate the bowling style of Ravindra Jadeja, particularly his pace. This adjustment was made to help the batsmen prepare for Jadeja’s speed. Initially, they practiced at this closer distance, but later shifted to 22 yards as the batsmen felt the ball was arriving too quickly.
He further commented that New Zealand’s practice sessions were heavily oriented towards preparing for left-arm spin. While acknowledging the quality of India’s spin attack, Shashwat expressed uncertainty about New Zealand’s ability to effectively handle it.
In their previous encounter in the group stage, India strategically used four spin bowlers, including the unconventional Varun Chakravarthy. Chakravarthy’s spin bowling proved particularly effective, disrupting New Zealand’s middle and lower order and earning him a five-wicket haul.
India’s successful spin strategy in that match enabled them to defend a score of 249 runs and secure a 44-run victory over the Blackcaps. Now, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the Indian side aims to replicate this performance and add another prestigious ICC title to their achievements.
Squads:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh.
New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham(w), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William O’Rourke, Daryl Mitchell, Nathan Smith, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy.
