New Zealand fielding coach Luke Ronchi believes the Blackcaps have a high possibility of chasing down the 284-run mark and winning the first Test versus India at Green Park in Kanpur. At the tail end of the 4th day, Ravi Ashwin dismissed 1st-innings half-centurion Will Young, and the NZ required 280 runs at the beginning of Day 5 with 9 wickets remaining.
At the end of the last day of the Test, the batters were Tom Latham and William Somerville. Ronchi remarked that the Kiwis may find strength from India’s batting and avoid developing a loser attitude during the chase. The senior also praised the hosts’ batsmen for gameplay with zeal.
“If we bat with some good intent there and sort of make the most of the opportunities to score them, then we certainly believe we can chase it down,” Ronchi was quoted as saying in the press conference after Day four.
There was positivity in their footwork and scoring options: Ronchi
“We’ve to stay positive and take a leaf out of the Indian batters and the way they played, and applied themselves,” he stated.
“There was positivity in their footwork and scoring options. That’s what we need to do as well and bring that momentum in our favour and then hopefully through the game the more you do it, the low the total becomes,” Ronchi said.
Furthermore, Ronchi, a former Kiwis wicketkeeper, believes that Day 5 has a lot to give because all three outcomes of the match are possible.
“Obviously, it was quite difficult for us to take wickets and put a bit of pressure on their batters but then leading into tomorrow, I think all three results are possible,” he added.
After being dropped to 51 for 5 in 19.4 overs in their 2nd innings, India found themselves in a great deal of trouble. But, half-centuries of guidance from Shreyas Iyer and Wriddhiman Saha led them to a safe end. Ravi Ashwin and Axar Patel also made bit parts, with 32 and 28, accordingly.
