The former India skipper Kapil Dev has slammed team management and selection committee after the drubbing in the first Test against New Zealand by ten wickets at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. This is also their first defeat in eight matches in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship.
Resuming on 144 for four, and trailing by 39 runs, India would have been hopeful of at least giving their bowlers a chance to give the hosts a scare in the fourth innings. But Trent Boult struck in his second over of the day, using the angle from round the wicket to the right-handed Anjikye Rahane to induce an edge behind, the batsman departing for 29.
It was all Tim Southee from thereon. He knocked off Hanuma Vihari before adding Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, and Rishabh Pant to his tally. Pant and Sharma tried to stitch a partnership and added 27 runs but they fell prey to Southee's brilliance, who finished with nine wickets in the match. With nine runs needed for victory, Tom Latham and Tom Blundell, the New Zealand openers, took only 10 balls to ease past the target, and secure New Zealand's 100th Test win.
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Following a humiliating defeat, Kapil Dev questioned the Indian management for continuously chopping and changing the playing XI and for not giving players a long rope to feel settled when it comes to a particular role. Moreover, Kapil was also not happy with the way the full team performed.
“Have to praise New Zealand, they are playing very good cricket. The 3 ODIs and this Test match, they have been excellent. If we analyse this match critically, well, I do not understand how can one make so many changes,” Kapil Dev told ABP news.
”There is a new team in almost every match. No one in the team is permanent, if there is no security over your place, it will affect the form of the players,” Dev added.
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India will hope to bounce back in the second and the final Test at the Hegley Oval in Christchurch starting from February 28.
