Eye opener for Indians

The Indian batsmen,however,made it look like this was a pitch on which the ball had a mind of its own. In reality,it was a wicket on which runs could be scored if batsmen were sure-footed. The bounce was described as spongy or tennis-ball like which meant driving on the up wasnt a safe shot like on most pitches in the sub-continent.

Presented with a different challenge,one which required them to think on their feet,alter their game plan and force the bowlers to change their strategy,the Indian batsmen seemed to be found wanting. Those in the dressing room possibly turned a blind eye to the way their colleagues up the order got out and repeated the mistakes.

They played in the manner that has brought them runs on docile pitches in the sub-continent. There wasnt enough movement of the feet and bats hung out to balls that shaped away or bounced that little bit extra.

The tall and strong New Zealand pacemen used the extra bounce the wicket provided to put seeds of doubt in minds of the Indian batsmen. But there can be no reasonable excuse for being bowled out for just 88 in 29.3 overs. The 200-run defeat was Indias biggest defeat against a New Zealand side and their fourth-worst ever in terms of runs.

Slip up

Seven of the batsmen were caught in the slip cordon or by the wicketkeeper. Deliveries that were full in length or just short of length and just outside the off-stump led to the downfall of Yuvraj Singh,Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma. The short ball aimed at the rib cage dismissed Virender Sehwag. Sehwag had managed to eliminate this weakness but here he got his glove to the ball while trying to fend it to the leg-side and wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins held onto an easy catch.

Dinesh Karthik was probably the only top-order batsman who could be spared of scorn because replays showed that the leg-before decision shouldnt have been given. But Karthik had picked the wrong line and paid the price.

New Zealand were 28 for three in the seventh over of their innings after winning the toss and electing to bat first. In captain Ross Taylor and Scott Styris they found batsmen who were willing to apply themselves and dig the team out of a hole. They added 190 for the fourth wicket. Indias best partnership was an opening stand of 39 between Sehwag and Karthik.

What was disconcerting was that none of the Indian batsmen looked like they were comfortable against the mode of attack directed at them. Daryl Tuffey picked up three wickets,while Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills picked up two wickets each. Andy McKay,the fastest bowler in the line-up,went for just 11 runs in his six overs. The New Zealand were rewarded for coming into this game with a clear plan use the bounce of the wicket to unsettle the Indian batsmen.

This is not the first time this team has been found wanting when they have played against medium-pacers who generate bounce or try and exploit their weakness the rising ball. It happened during the World T20 in England last year. Now,a hint of extra bounce forced them out of their comfort zone.