Former Kiwi pace bowler Simon Doull has revealed that lack of match practise before the ongoing World Test Championship final against New Zealand has affected India’s pace bowling attack. On the other hand, New Zealand had played two Tests against England before the WTC final and won the series 1-0 as well. The Virat Kohli-led Indian team last played against England in a 2-1 Test series at home earlier this year.
“…at times you look and overthink and say ‘did they (India) have enough preparation?’ I think they did. I am sure in the last 10-12 days they would have bowled enough deliveries to make sure they are ready and raring to go,” Doull told Harsha Bhogle on Cricbuzz.
He continued: “But its hard to simulate match practice. You can try in these intra-squad games but it just doesn’t quite work and that’s the key. It is genuinely hard to replace match practice that makes you better and get you ready for those matches.”
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However, Simon Doull has stated that after seeing Indian pacers’ poor performance in New Zealand’s first innings score of 101 for 2 in reply to India’s 217 all out as well. India’s pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami couldn’t take early wickets at the favourable Ageas Bowl conditions, unlike their New Zealand counterparts. Notably, Kyle Jamieson (5/31), Neil Wagner (2/40) and Trent Boult (2/47) have done quite well too. And, Doull said New Zealand have the upper hand after playing the two games against England before the marquee event as well.
“…New Zealand went into their first Test match at Lord’s against England, they had the very same preparation that India had coming into this Test match. New Zealand were in Southampton for around 10-11 days, played intra-squad matches, training practices and when they turned at Lord’s they looked pretty set and ready to go. Tim Southee bowled beautifully, Devon Conway came straight out of 10 days of net session here and scored a double hundred at Lord’s. They looked like they were prepared and ready to go,” he claimed.
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“They are not genuine swing bowlers. I know Jasprit Bumrah can swing the ball, Ishant is more of a swing bowler, he comes round the wicket with that angle wrist takes the ball away. He does take the ball away from the left-handers and into the right-handers. Mohammed Shami has never really been a genuine swing bowler. He is a seam bowler and always bowls upright. To me, it is not Bumrah, Shami it is more Ishant Sharma. I did however expect the ball might seam a little bit more. Shami and Bumrah at times found it but they were not just consistent enough,” Simon Doull concluded.
