Jacob Duffy Reflects on New Zealand's ODI Struggles Against India
Duffy Discusses Challenges in ODI Series
Auckland, New Zealand - November 4: Fast bowler Jacob Duffy has acknowledged that the late starts during the current home series against India have significantly impacted New Zealand's ability to defend their totals. This comes after the team faced a five-wicket loss in the first ODI at Eden Park.
New Zealand was dismissed for 185 runs after being put to bat first, while India successfully chased down their revised target of 143 runs in just 32 overs due to rain interruptions. This marked the fourth instance in five matches on this tour where New Zealand could not defend a total.
The T20I series commenced at 8 PM local time, whereas the ODIs are scheduled for a 3 PM start. Duffy, who recorded figures of 3/49 in the opening ODI, noted that the conditions later in the day made it challenging to defend a target.
Duffy remarked, "Winning the toss and opting to bowl first is a common strategy for a reason. I’m not suggesting it’s impossible to defend, but the moisture in the pitch can be a game-changer. Tonight, I felt there was some wind, and while we hoped it wouldn’t add moisture, the rain certainly did. When the ball skids on, it loses its grip, which was evident during their innings."
He further explained, "The lack of tackiness and the tennis-ball bounce we observed contributed to the ball skidding, making it difficult for us to maintain control."
In all five matches where India won the toss and chose to field, New Zealand batted first. Their only successful defense of a total occurred in the fourth T20I, where they set a record score of 259.
Duffy conceded that a score of 185 was insufficient at Eden Park, especially against a formidable Indian batting lineup that took full advantage of the conditions during their chase.
"They bowled exceptionally well, utilizing the surface's bounce effectively. We didn’t perform at our best with the bat initially, and defending 185 became a tough task, especially when they started scoring quickly," Duffy stated.
India's pace attack, featuring Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar, and Anshul Kamboj, took all nine wickets, with one run-out contributing to New Zealand's dismissal. Duffy praised the Indian bowlers for their seam work and effective use of bounce.
Captain Shubman Gill emphasized the need for tall fast bowlers ahead of the first ODI, with Brar being one of the taller pacers being tested as India prepares for the upcoming ODI World Cup.
Despite the modest target, New Zealand managed to claim five wickets during India's chase, including three quick dismissals after Gill and Virat Kohli formed a solid 113-run partnership. However, Duffy felt that the late breakthroughs were too little, too late.
"We are determined to show our intent in this series. We won’t back down and will continue to challenge them. The short ball seemed effective, so we decided to use it to assert ourselves in the series," Duffy concluded.
New Zealand aims to bounce back in the second ODI as they seek to level the five-match series.