India Tour Of New Zealand LIVE and exclusive on Prime Video: It Was One Of Those Days For Tom Latham

It was early morning in India when Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill came down to bat in the first ODI against New Zealand at Eden Park on Friday. The Indian opening batters produced a power-packed show to hand innumerable cricket fans a blistering start to the day. Dhawan and Gill forged a solid partnership of 124. Shreyas Iyer later joined the run spree with 80 off just 76 balls. The ‘Men In Blue’ eventually managed to register an impressive total of 306 thanks to a fabulous contribution by all-rounder Washington Sundar. Well, surprise. surprise. Tom Latham had the last laugh. The Kiwi wicketkeeper pulled off a century to earn the 1-0 lead for his side. At one point, during the game, we couldn’t help but agree with Harsha Bhogle when he said, “There are only gaps on the field when Tom Latham is batting.”

And, according to Tom Latham, it was “just one of those days when everything comes off.” The outcome of the 50-over game certainly speaks of the calibre of New Zealand. The Kiwi wicketkeeper-batter slammed 19 boundaries and five sixes to remain unbeaten at 145. “Just one of those days when everything comes off. Having a bit of fun in the end…It was nice to put the ball in the gaps and run hard. I guess the preparation has been nice…”

Tom Latham didn’t miss appreciating the partnership with skipper Kane Williamson,

who fell short of six runs to cross the 100-run mark during his innings. “Nice partnership with Kane, who played beautifully,” he said.

While Tom Latham’s match-winning show has rightfully occupied the limelight, we certainly can’t miss the stupendous performance produced by India’s top order.

Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and decided to bowl first. It will be an understatement to say that the decision backfired. A 300-plus total against a bowling line-up, comprising names like Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne, is never below-par. And India skipper aka our very own “Gabbar” summed it up perfectly after the game.

“I really enjoy playing here. Would’ve been happier if we won but that’s part and parcel. They’re all young boys and lots of learning for them.

On the bowling department, he said, “We bowled a lot on a short of a length, and Latham attacked. We misfielded on a few balls. But as I said, we were quite short to Latham, and that’s where he took the game away. He hit four boundaries in the 40th over, and that’s where the game shifted. Surely lots of learning for the boys.”

During the match, it seemed team India badly felt the need to have a strong figure in the all-rounder’s segment. They needed someone who could shine with the bat and pick up wickets in crunch situations, someone like Ravindra Jadeja. Umran and Arshdeep’s prowess was never in doubt but the absence of a sixth bowling option was certainly a killer punch. Even Washington Sundar’s stellar cameo wasn’t enough to see the side sail through.

Indian batter Shreyas Iyer also pointed out their inability to break the crucial partnership.

“They played fantastic knocks. They knew which bowlers to target at a specific time. The way Latham took that over, I think that completely shifted the momentum towards them. He wanted to come in and build that partnership. Since they have been playing together for so many years, I am sure that they know their strengths and weaknesses pretty closely. That partnership completely changed the scenario of the game. That was the crucial phase for us to get the wicket. If we would have got one wicket we would have been under their skin. The situation would have been completely different. Kudos to them for finding that strength during that phase and converting those loose balls into brilliant boundaries and sixes,” Iyer said after the game.

Indian team management wanted to explore multiple options in the ODI series against New Zealand. It was believed that crucial performances in the fifty-over format will help young Indian players to emerge as top contenders for the World Cup squad. But does this defeat ruin India’s plans? Well, absolutely not. It is still too early to think about the 2024 World Cup. And, Iyer voiced a similar opinion.

“We will have to be optimistic. I do not love to think about the future. I can just control my training right now and perform consistently. I love to live in the present. Players will come and go. But consistency is going to matter. That is my mindset right now. Ups and downs will be there,” the Mumbai-born batter opined.

The second ODI is scheduled to be played on Sunday at Seddon Park in Hamilton. Shikhar Dhawan’s men will now look for a resounding comeback in the penultimate game to stay alive in the series. Will India be able to pull off a blinder? Well, they have been there and done that.

Catch the ODIs on 27th and 30th November with coverage beginning 6 AM IST, LIVE and exclusively on Prime Video.

This is a Partnered Post. 

Get the latest Cricket News, Schedule and Cricket Live Scores here