IND vs NZ: ‘It’s so lopsided it’s not funny’: New Zealand great slams team set-up, says ‘stop hiding in the grass’ – Hindustan Times

Former New Zealand cricketer Ian Smith, while analysing the side's bowling performance in the ongoing Test match against India, has spoken in extremely harsh criticism of their set-up back home, saying that they need to get over their over-reliance on pace.

The comment comes after the Black Caps' spin department failed to make a considerable impact in the 1st Test in Kanpur, while the pace battery continued to impress. Of all 17 wickets that India lost 2 innings, only 3 of them were bagged by the spin department. To make things worse, only one spinner in Ajaz Patel was successful as Rachin Ravindra and Will Somerville remained wicketless.

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While speaking on the show Mornings with Ian Smith on SENZ, Smith lashed out on the Kiwis by asking them to stop hiding in the grass and develop spin bowling.

Surviving today is temporarily sealing the cracks. We have to get more revolutions on the ball and stop hiding in the grass. It's so lopsided in their favor it's not funny. Just as it is for the quicks when we host teams here. Unfortunately, though for us, that is now coming to our detriment in the subcontinent, and we'll always do so unless we learn to play it better, Ian Smith said on Mornings with Ian Smith on SENZ.

He added that the Kane Williamson-led side have pacer Time Southee and Kyle Jamieson to thank for.

It's a hell of a compliment to Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson that we're actually still playing this Test match. Our three spinners bowled 102 overs. For India, 10 out of the 11(at the time of writing) scalps they've got so far are to spin.

Cricketer-turned-broadcaster Smith further pointed out NZ's World Test Championship final victory only reflected their true potential as the side took the field with an all-pace attack.

The greatest of the tweakers, Shane Warne, marveled at our success in winning the World Test Championship final but without having [or] using a spinner. He did say it was somewhat disappointing and a poor reflection. He's a tad bias to spin, we know that, but we need to shift ours a little bit more in that direction, Ian Smith said.

We have to learn to bowl it better, and when we do, we'll learn how to play it better. It might be time to invest in some full-time overseas coaching or maybe discover a Devon Conway type who can turn it square," added Smith.

Originally posted here:

IND vs NZ: 'It's so lopsided it's not funny': New Zealand great slams team set-up, says 'stop hiding in the grass' - Hindustan Times