Bring back Bondy
Flat deck or no flat deck, New Zealand's bowling was found wanting
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
Flat deck or no flat deck, New Zealand's bowling was found wanting. If only New Zealand's cricket leaders could save their hot air for something useful, like offering our ace of pace Shane Bond the apology he deserves with a heartfelt invitation to take up the cudgels once more for the national side, writes Chris Rattue in New Zealand Herald.
If New Zealand were serious about trying to beat the Indians in Wellington (and previously for that matter), they would have torn up whatever rule book they are being forced to operate by, got out the chequebook, and moved heaven and earth to sign Bond up for at least one last 150km/h fling of the red leather.
In the Dominion Post, Jonathan Millmow feels New Zealand have to make one of their biggest selection gambles in recent times if they drop a batting allrounder, James Franklin, for a bowler, Tim Southee.
In the Hindu, S Ram Mahesh compares the knocks of Jesse Ryder and Gautam Gambhir, the two innings that most influenced the Napier Test. Both innings, in review, are instructive, not just in relation to the match, but in terms of how they might affect their young authors.
Ryder, 24, and Gambhir, 27, are so interesting because in their short careers they have already challenged perception multiple times. Ryder, to several cricket fans, was a heavyset basher, who could empty the odd bar when he wasn’t patronising it; good for a few ODIs against the Poms, but then, isn’t everyone?
Not many were sure if Gambhir had it in him to bat in denial. But he did just that, trusting his defensive technique and the reserves of his concentration. As Rahul Dravid said, the innings will have taught Gambhir a lot about himself.
Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo