Kane Williamson and his team’s emphatic win over India in the opening Test of the two-match Test series in Wellington has been hailed as among the best-ever Test victory in New Zealand’s history.
Indian cricket team led by Virat Kohli failed to adapt to the conditions at the Basin Reserve, as New Zealand defeated the number one ranked Test side by the massive margin of a 10-wicket within the first four days of the game on Monday (February 24) in Wellington.
With the memorable victory, the hosts will have a great chance to register a rare Test series victory over India when they meet in the second and final Test on February 29 in Christchurch.
New Zealand Herald's Niall Anderson wrote about the Wellington Test victory: “Rare is the Tests in which the Black Caps beat the world's number one Test side. To do so against a team who had won seven straight Tests, each by a massive margin, makes it even more impressive.”
On the other hand, Ian Anderson of Stuff.co.nz has pointed out that New Zealand was "beaten and broken" coming into the Test series after a 0-3 humiliation in their last Test series against Australia while mentioning Trent Boult and Tim Southee, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, and Ross Taylor as the serious contenders to make an all-time New Zealand top XI.
Meanwhile, former New Zealand cricketer Craig McMillan felt the veteran pace bowling pair of Tim Southee and Trent Boult were "nearly unplayable" in Wellington while insisting that the Indians could not blame the "green monster" for the loss in the first Test.
McMillan told Radio Sport, “When the ball's swinging, and it did for most of that Wellington Test, Boult and Southee are geniuses. They didn't make any adjustments in the way they played, they threw their hands at the ball like they do in India.”
Former International also rated the Kiwi’s Wellington show "a terrific performance" against India.
He signed off by saying, “When the ball doesn't bounce above knee-high you can get away with some of those shots -- in New Zealand you don't. I haven't seen India, the number one Test side in the world, dismantled like they were over those four days in Wellington.”
(With AFP Inputs)
