New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has recently shared how New Zealand has planned to defeat India in the inaugural edition of the ICC World Test Championship final at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. They put up 249 runs in the first innings where opened Davon Conway scored 54 and skipper Kane Williamson scored 49 as well.

In the second innings, the New Zealand pace attack damaged the Indian pace attack and they were bowled out for 170, setting a target of 139 runs as well. And, New Zealand chased it down with ease and won the game by 8 wickets

While speaking with the Niche Sports YouTube Channel, coach Gary Stead said that New Zealand had hoped to bat a little longer in the first innings as they knew about the Indian spin duo Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja both would play in the game.

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He said: “We were actually hoping to bat a little bit longer than we did and hopefully score some more runs. We thought first-innings runs were going to be very important on a pitch that was wearing and we knew (Ravichandran) Ashwin and (Ravindra) Jadeja were going to become more and more apparent in the game as it went on”

“We are excited (about) what this could do for cricket in New Zealand as well. That’s a really good thing that we have to make sure that we have young cricketers – boys and girls – in New Zealand that want to partake in cricket,” Gary Stead concluded.

However, while talking about the win, Southee commented that the World Test Championship victory over mighty India will take some time to sink in. “It is amazing to be part of this team. We have been working for this (WTC final win) for the last two years. Not only the 15 players but others probably in the last 5-6 years (have contributed) to get us to where we are now. It is very special. We had come very close to a few tournaments. It is yet to sink in and may take a couple of weeks,” he said.

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“We knew it was going to be tough on the final day, three results were possible then and the first hour to be crucial. But picking up the two wickets in that period was crucial in the end,” Southee said in a video interview released by New Zealand Cricket. “I have never experienced 139 runs taking so long (to chase down) and there was a lot of nervous energy in the change room.”