IND v NZ 2021: Shane Warne questions India's tactics to not take a new ball as Test ends in a draw

The hosts were one wicket away from sealing the Test match on last day in Kanpur.

Team India | BCCI

First Test between India and New Zealand ended in a draw after bad light forced the umpires to call off the last day early. India were very close to winning the Test match after taking 9 wickets of the Kiwis in the last innings.

But Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel refused to give away their wickets and ensured the hosts don't go 1-0 down in the two-match Test series. They survived 52 deliveries before the bad light didn't allow extra overs for Team India. 

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Former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne was surprised with India's decision to not go for the new ball which was available. "Very surprised India didn't take the new ball when it was available !!!! Strange they are still bowling with the old ball as light and overs running out !!!!!! Thoughts?", Warne tweeted on Monday (November 29).

The 52-year-old further asked if the decision to not bowl with the new ball was the turning point in the match. At one stage, New Zealand were 6 down for 128 runs after skipper Kane Williamson got out in the 70th over. 

India still had enough overs to take the remaining overs with three quality spinners in the side. "Will the 4 overs bowled with the old ball when the new ball was available be a turning point and allowed NZ to hang on or it won't matter and India win ???," Warne posted.

For India, Ravindra Jadeja picked up four wickets in the second innings, while R Ashwin bagged three wickets, who also became India's third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. 

 
 

By - 30 Nov, 2021

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