New Zealand staring at an ideal chance to seal a series win in India

Luckow March 24, 2023: Kane Williamson isn’t around this time. Guptill’s career is nearly dusted. Boult and Neesham have been released from their central contracts. 

Which only means one thing and one alone. It’s that a new generation of Kiwi cricketers are tasked with turning the cricket of the Blackcaps into pure gold. 

Under such circumstances, should New Zealand manage to clinch a white ball series and that too, miles away from home comfort – it would augur well for the confidence of a side that plays bold and honest, one game at a time. 

Not a side that you get to read a lot many opinion pieces about. Definitely not a side you find buried amid massive cricketing hype at all. 

New Zealand cricket is pretty much – what you see, is what you get. 

And what’s been on offer during this memorable tour to India have been some balsy performances, such as Santner’s brilliant spell in the Ranchi T20I, Conway coming to the part in that very contest and how can one even forget Bracewell’s incredible ton of runs that yielded 140; a blinder of a knock at Hyderabad. 

But if there was ever an opportunity that New Zealand had to prove India that they weren’t only strong playing back on their lush green tops then it’s this; the chance of sealing the series at Lucknow, the contest due to begin in the next few hours. 

To win against India isn’t something that comes very easy, well not when you’re playing in their own den. 

The West Indies were hammered at home last year. The English were contested with much might. 

But New Zealand, not a side that’s incessantly dependant on the power of star players, have always managed to contest close games with the subcontinental giants. 

Perhaps it won’t be a misnomer to say that the fans truly got their money’s worth on that India tour of New Zealand, where the super over-punctuated contests were riddled by Southee and Sharma starring respectively for their sides. A series where nearly every single contest went down to the wire.  

Though, things weren’t all too smooth for the Blackcaps when they traveled to India in 2021, a tour wherein they lost every single T20I they played; india winning three-nil. 

Jaipur, Ranchi and Kolkata turned out to be episodes of relentless Kiwi bashing. 

Though, things have changed this time around for a side that has no big names and perhaps only the temerity of its youth to bank upon. 

The key, question, however for a side perhaps missing out the key experience of Williamson is whether the batters can come to the party one more time? 

Surely, the current side is a touch overly dependant on the whirring blade of Devon Conway. 

New Zealand fans on social media aren’t in any way overestimating the potential of the left hander when they discuss among themselves as to whether Conway is their best all-format batter at the moment. 

He surely is. No doubt. But what about the others. Can’t Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips come to the party and finally get TP some serious run scoring having missed out for the better part on this tour?

As a matter of factly, not once has Bracewell entered the thirties ever since his destructive ton at Hyderabad. 

Meanwhile, with Daryl Mitchell back in form, the likes of Finn Allen with scores of 35, 0 and 0 from the last three white-ball games also has his task cut out. 

If there’s an opportunity to score, it’s now. The occasion is big. Can’t be bigger. The time to seal a bi lateral series in their favour and on the Indian turf is right here. 

What can New Zealand do at Lucknow. 

Make no mistake: India will come hard at the Kiwis. It’s all to play for.