Understanding the peculiar dimensions of the grounds and negotiating the wind factor is a must for bowlers to succeed in New Zealand, reckons India pacer Shardul Thakur.
“There are no grounds alike in New Zealand, so it is very important to understand the ground dimensions. How to bowl, etc. In each game, as a bowler, you may have to change your plan because the last game in Auckland, straight boundaries were short. Before that in Hamilton, the side boundary was short. The dimensions of each ground are different and you have to bowl accordingly. Here in the next game, we will get a bigger ground compared to the others,” said Thakur ahead of final ODI game.
Thakur feels the conditions make New Zealand one of the toughest places to play cricket in.
“It is very difficult because you don’t get to play on grounds like this every day. That’s why they say New Zealand is a difficult country to play cricket in. I feel that when you practice in the nets you have to practice in the manner in which you are going to bowl the next day.
“Mentally too, it is crucial to be prepared because if you are not prepared mentally, the opponent can take you by surprise. So both things are important. If you see, their batsmen use the wind and the short side,” he added.
India will be aiming to avoid a 0-3 whitewash today and with the series already out of reach, Thakur feels he and his teammates can play even more freely.
“When you play international cricket, every game matters for every player. When you are 2-0 down, you can express yourself even more — our skills, our variations in bowling. Batsmen can play their shots, can execute shots and express themselves. That’s how we will approach it.”