The Black Caps have fallen to a 1-0 test series defeat against India after being thrashed in the second test in Mumbai.
Niall Anderson runs the rule over how every Black Cap performed in the two tests.
Tom Latham - 7/10
163 runs at 40.75
The Black Caps have fallen to a 1-0 test series defeat against India after being thrashed in the second test in Mumbai.
Niall Anderson runs the rule over how every Black Cap performed in the two tests.
163 runs at 40.75
New Zealand's standout batsman in Kanpur, Latham's returns of 95 and 52 had the Black Caps in winning positions, but when handed the captaincy in Mumbai he could only produce scores of 10 and six. However, his efforts in the first test, utilising superb judgement and deftly limiting his scoring areas to avoid danger, showed why he is one of New Zealand's greatest batsmen in Asia. Only six Kiwi players in history average over 40 in Asia in more than 20 innings, and Latham is one of them.
115 runs at 28.75
Scored a career-best 89 in the first innings in Kanpur, looking every bit a top-class international opener, and was the victim of an umpiring shocker (albeit with a self-inflicted non-review) in the second. Much like everyone else, Young struggled in Mumbai with just four runs in the first innings and 20 in the second, but with Kane Williamson out injured, he showed enough to retain his place to play Bangladesh in January.
42 runs at 21
Scores of 18 and 24 are hardly notable for such a classy player, but his second-innings knock in Kanpur wasn't about the runs he scored, it was the balls he faced – 112 in helping his side earn a draw. He did so with a troublesome elbow, which made him miss the Mumbai test, and will likely sideline him for a chunk of the home summer. The Black Caps should be fine without him when Bangladesh visit, but he'll be sorely needed against South Africa in February.
68 runs at 34, no wickets for nine runs
Mitchell smacked a counter-attacking 60 in the second innings of the Mumbai test – the only Kiwi player to raise his bat in the test, and just the third to do so in the series. The fact he finished the series with the Black Caps' second-highest batting average based on one good innings when the game was lost shows how poorly some senior batsmen performed. Mitchell's test future looks increasingly likely to be just as a batsman, with his bowling generally unthreatening.
20 runs at five
A disastrous series for New Zealand's most experienced batsman. He made 11 in the first innings in Kanpur and that was as good as it got, with scores of two, one and six following. His first-innings dismissal in Mumbai was from a snorting delivery from Mohammed Siraj, but the second innings saw him try to hit every ball for a boundary, and being totally embarrassed in the process by Ravichandran Ashwin. Avoiding a historic 1/10 rating solely for taking two sharp catches, Taylor will keep his place for the Bangladesh tests, but if he struggles there and Young continues to shine, pressure will mount.
54 runs at 13.5
His 44 in the second innings in Mumbai salvaged a dollop of respectability from what had been a horrible series, with scores of two, one and seven before he finally looked slightly more at ease against the Indian spinners. Two big centuries at home in the past year means Nicholls' place isn't under threat, but it's been a while since he played a game-changing innings away from home.
23 runs at 5.75
Blundell is one of the few batsmen with an excuse for his poor returns, having fought for 94 balls in the first innings in Kanpur before receiving a cruel delivery that barely bounced, while his second innings 38-ball stay – crucial in retrospect – ended in bizarre fashion with a ball that came off the edge, seemingly hit a footmark, and bounced back into his stumps. He was completely at fault for his bizarre dismissal in the second test though, pushing for a crazy second-innings single and being run out for a duck. His performance behind the stumps was also a mixed bag, with a few smart snares coupled with a few missed chances, in admittedly tough conditions to begin his stint as first-choice wicketkeeper.
53 runs at 17.66, three wickets at 40.33
The hero of the first test, Ravindra saved a draw for New Zealand with a 91-ball blockathon that belied his 22 years. In the second test, he then took his first three test wickets when India were hitting out in the second innings, a confidence boost for someone the Black Caps hope can develop into an all-rounder. There's plenty of work to go, but Ravindra showed enough to indicate he should leapfrog Mitchell Santner as New Zealand's spin-bowling all-round option, at least until a spot at the top of the order opens up in the coming years.
Six wickets at 30.33, 45 runs at 11.25
Jamieson proved he was no green-seam bully with a brilliant display of bowling in Kanpur, becoming the fastest Kiwi bowler to 50 test wickets, while also showing further glimpses with the bat to hint at his burgeoning all-round capabilities. He then suffered the first setback of his test career in Mumbai, going wicketless in easily his worst performance in the whites. It will be an excellent learning experience for the 26-year-old.
Eight wickets at 27.25, nine runs at 2.25
An absolute magician in Kanpur, Southee used every trick he's learned in 81 tests to produce one of the best seam bowling displays seen in India. He too then went wicketless in Mumbai, but at least kept things tidy, with his 35 overs conceding just 74 runs. Let's just not talk about the batting.
No wickets for 237 runs, 43 runs at 10.75
Someone who would much rather us talk about the batting, Somerville's only contribution this series came with the bat, where his 110-ball stay as nightwatchman followed a 52-ball first innings in what proved to be a test-saving contribution as New Zealand clung on for the draw. That was the only bright spot, with Somerville being embarrassed by the other six spinners who bowled in the series, who combined to take 53 wickets. Somerville took none, and after being tight and slightly unlucky in Kanpur, leaked 4.8 runs per over in Mumbai. Has played his last game for New Zealand.
17 wickets at 22.05, seven runs for no dismissals
When you become the third player in cricket history to take 10 wickets in a test innings, you automatically get a 10/10 rating. When you take another four wickets in the second innings, three in the first test, save the first test with the bat and never get dismissed in four innings, then you get 11/10.
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