While the rain kept delaying the start of the 4th ODI at Queenstown between India and New Zealand women, there was a documentary that was played out by the host broadcaster Spark Sport. The documentary was based on New Zealand women's cricket team while profiling a few players and their individual journeys. My very first impression on watching that story being told- was that the world is same everywhere. Their struggles are similar and their success stories seem quite similar too.
It identified that under coach Bob Carter how the New Zealand women’s team over the last couple of years has trained. The changes that they have been brought in individually & collectively. The path, the direction they are taking or walking towards. Yes; the culmination or the progress is measured at a world event but it is the process and journey that is always reasoned as the base of it.
New Zealand women in the last four outings against the Indian women have indicated all that. They are aware of their path, have put in the hard yards to follow a process and the direction is absolutely clear. They are not withering away their advantages in a game, neither are they taking a step back in the contest. If the opposition has put a tough situation in front, no panic- the players know how to make everything fall into place. Be it a run rate of 8 or 9 in the chase, it's achieved. A smaller target to be defended- it is done. The home team is in control of the ship to weather all seasons.
The Indian team has been seen playing catch up to their counterparts. They have played decent cricket but have not had all the answers. It is either an ordinary day with the bat or with the ball. Fielding wise – I am short of expressions. It is difficult to understand how one can misfield in New Zealand. Not that the grounds international cricket is played on are poor outfields, but we are talking New Zealand here. Lush green carpet like outfield, soft grass, beautiful cricket setting and a player misses a straight ball or a catch. How?
Fielding; correction- poor fielding has caused huge damage in this series. The Indian captain Mithali Raj mentioned ordinary bowling as a reason for continuous losses; I feel poor fielding should take bigger honours. Dropping catches and being unable to restrict runs in the field haven’t helped the bowling.
A 60-yard boundary does not allow the fielder a second chance to run back and catch. That is why you start from the boundary and rush in forward. The Indian fielders have been found out by standing too far in at times or being too slow to react. It requires a captain to martial their troops well and also the bowler to know what the field is.
The Indian team has also come a long way in playing attacking cricket. But an improvement in one angle calls for attention to other angles too in order to maintain that fine balance. Every team does it. The balance needs to be restored back and quickly for this Indian team.
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