New Zealands Pace-Friendly Pitch Strategy Backfires Against India

Former cricketer Atul Wassan claims New Zealand's pace-friendly pitch strategy backfired, allowing India to exploit conditions and take a 2-0 lead in the ODI series. He warns that such tactics could compromise the quality of cricket.

New Zealands Pitch Strategy Backfires

Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan said New Zealand's strategy of preparing pace-friendly pitches had backfired, with India's bowlers exploiting the conditions to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series. India defeated New Zealand by four runs under the DLS method in a rain-curtailed second ODI in Wellington, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Gurnoor Brar starred with a career-best four-wicket haul of 4/30 as India bowled out New Zealand for 134 in 41 overs. Although New Zealand were bowled out for 134, India faced a stiff challenge in the chase before rain interrupted play at 113/7 in 26 overs, with the visitors four runs ahead of the DLS par score to seal a narrow victory. New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy claimed three wickets each.

Expert Critique on Pitch Conditions

Speaking to ANI, Wassan said New Zealand's pace-friendly pitch strategy had backfired, as India's bowlers also possess the pace, bounce and ability to exploit such conditions and turn the tables on opponents overseas. “The policy is clear: New Zealand is going to give pitches like this only. But they dug a hole, and they fell into it, because Indian bowlers are also exploiting it. The pace and bounce, Indian Indian bowlers also have got that kind of X-factor now. So the teams, when we used to go overseas, probably used to exploit that, but now the Indian squad has got the players who might just turn the tables on you, and that's what happened,” he said.

Wassan also said India’s victory was not as convincing as it could have been. He urged the New Zealand Cricket Board to reconsider its pitch strategy, warning that excessively favouring certain conditions could compromise the quality of cricket. He also pointed out that conditions at the upcoming 2027 ODI World Cup in Africa would be different.

“In spite of India winning the game today, it left a lot to be desired, because India could have won easily, handsomely, but the wicket was such. So I think New Zealand will have to go back to the board because we are 2-0 up again. You've lost it—they've lost the T20 series; they're looking down the barrel in the ODI series. Where we are going to play the World Cup, conditions are going to be slightly different. So I request the New Zealand board not to skew the conditions so much that the quality of cricket goes down, and then we just see either them winning easily or us losing easily,” he said.

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