Former New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner has opened up about the iconic 2014 Auckland Test against India, recalling how his aggressive short-ball strategy rattled Virat Kohli and ultimately earned him the prized wicket of then-captain MS Dhoni. Speaking on the Red Inker Cricket Podcast, Wagner revisited one of the defining spells of his career that helped New Zealand script a memorable 40-run victory at Eden Park.
Wagner explained that the surface in Auckland had enough pace and bounce despite being largely flat, which encouraged him to use the bouncer as a weapon. While Eden Park is notorious for its shorter straight boundaries, the square boundaries offered bowlers opportunities to test batters with the short ball.
“I remember bowling a couple of bouncers and particularly Virat Kohli looked a little unsettled. He wasn’t sure whether to take it on or leave it. That hesitation gave me an opening,” Neil Wagner recalled.
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Interestingly, Neil Wagner admitted that Kohli struggled more against the short-ball plan than Dhoni. Despite Dhoni’s reputation as a master finisher in overseas conditions, Wagner managed to outthink him with a slower-ball bouncer.
“Dhoni didn’t seem too bothered by it initially. But I decided to back my gut feeling and tried a slower-ball bouncer. He ended up chopping it onto the stumps, and I was honestly amazed. That wicket gave me immense confidence,” Neil Wagner said.
The left-arm quick also detailed the plan against Kohli, describing how the Indian batter attempted to pull across the line but mistimed it. The ball caught the toe-end and carried to wicketkeeper BJ Watling. “It created a bit of a mode, and suddenly we were in the game again,” he added.
India, chasing a stiff 407 in the fourth innings, looked threatening through Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, but Wagner’s inspired spell of 4/62 shifted the momentum. Eventually, India fell short, bowled out for 366, as New Zealand sealed a famous win.
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Reflecting on that moment, Neil Wagner highlighted how backing instinct and maintaining an aggressive mindset was crucial. “It was all about being positive and not fearful. That match taught me to trust my plans completely,” he said.
For context, Wagner retired from international cricket earlier this year, bringing down the curtain on a remarkable yet underrated Test career. The Pretoria-born pacer played 64 Tests for New Zealand, claiming 260 wickets, including nine five-wicket hauls. While his international journey has ended, Wagner continues to ply his trade in county cricket for Durham, carrying forward the same fighting spirit that defined his Test career.
