Ian Smith, a former cricketer who is now a commentator, is still shocked by New Zealand’s historic 3-0 Test series victory in India in 2024. He attributes the Shubman Gill-led team’s recent domestic red ball difficulties to their waning effectiveness against spin.
Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santer, two left-arm spinners, were the masterminds behind New Zealand’s historic 3-0 Test series victory in India, which ended the hosts’ 12-year winning streak. Will Young and Rachin Ravindra outperformed their more experienced counterparts in the batting department.
More recently, off-spinner Simon Harmer caused mayhem in a two-Test series in South Africa’s home country, blanking the “mighty” India and exposing the weaknesses of Indian hitters on turning surfaces.
Smith described both the ODI series victory earlier this month and the Test series victory for New Zealand in 2024 as outstanding accomplishments.
“It’s a remarkable achievement. It was also a bit of a surprise to me (the Test series win over India. I didn’t think they’d do that. Some of our key players play a lot more here now than they used to. I think they’ve got a different attitude to playing spin,” PTI quoted Smith as saying.
“When we’ve come here in the past, spin has tied us in knots. They’ve had very good spinners. And you’ve still got very good spinners. It’s just that I think the modern day players, because of their attitude towards spin, are a lot more aggressive, become a lot more effective.”
However, India was knocked out by the spinners’ performance. On turning tracks, Santner and Patel’s left-arm spin caused the high-profile batting line-up to collapse.
Smith stated that although Indian batters’ spin play has decreased, it is challenging to identify the underlying reason given the team’s abundance of talent.
“It looks as if it has (gone down). If you look at the numbers, I’m sure they play it well. Whether they’ve lost confidence, whether they’re doubting themselves, which would surprise me because it’s not something I’d be used to,” said the former New Zealand wicket-keeper batter.
Smith is fine with players like Trent Boult and Kane Williamson choosing to leave their New Zealand central contracts in order to earn more money in international T20 competitions, but not when a 20-year-old cricketer like Finn Allen declines the national deal.
“But it’s not going to stop. I don’t see it stopping. Particularly in New Zealand because we don’t have a lucrative T20 competition. Our players make nothing out of our T20 competition. Our Super Smash provides no income. They are looking at putting together a new competition.
“If that eventuates and the money is what they say it might be, some of these players might stay at home a bit longer but you can’t blame them. The only thing that concerns me is they’re going at such a young age.
“When you get to Williamson’s and Conway’s and those guys in their mid to late 30s, I don’t blame them. Take the money and you’ve deserved it. But when you’re going in their mid-20s, that’s a worry,” Smith added.
