New Zealand coach Andy Moles warned India of a "sterner examination" in the second Test in Napier even as he urged the Kiwi batsmen to take a leaf out of Sachin Tendulkar's innings in the first Test.
New Zealand coach Andy Moles warned India of a "sterner examination" in the second Test in Napier even as he urged the Kiwi batsmen to take a leaf out of Sachin Tendulkar's innings in the first Test.
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"We will practice hard and review our team, the Indians and on how we can do things better. I can promise you that Indians will face a lot sterner examination than they did in the first Test," said Moles.
India won the first Test by an emphatic 10 wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-match series and record their first win in the Antipodes since 1976.
Moles was critical of the Kiwis' performance in Hamilton but hoped for a better outing at McLean Park, Napier as the hosts try to stop India from winning a Test series in New Zealand since Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi-led side won in 1967-68.
"We know we didn't do the basics well enough. We just didn't bat long enough in pairs and didn't bowl well enough in pairs. Something we pride ourselves in is our fielding, but we were disappointed in that aspect too. We are looking forward to Napier and are keen to get a better account of ourselves," said the Englishman.
Moles expressed disappointment with his batsmen's performance in the first Test. "Some of them got out to poor dismissals, to a combination of a little bit of pressure and fine bowling.
"We have got to make sure through our own diligent method that our batters bat at least two sessions and develop partnerships," Moles said.
He also urged them to follow Tendulkar's century innings in Hamilton where he was slightly edgy initially before taking the New Zealand bowlers to task. "It is all about making sure we bat for long periods of time. Sachin showed that emphatically.
"In earlier parts of his innings, by his own admission, he wasn't fluent. But he got through those difficult times. As he got in, it got easier. There is an age-old saying that the 'longer you bat, the easier it gets'. So that is what our batters need to do," said Moles.
The 48-year-old also hoped middle-order batsman Daniel Flynn and fast bowler Iain O'Brien would be fit for the second Test. Flynn has a bruised left hand while O'Brien has a side strain.
Flynn made a gritty 67 in the second innings while lasting close to 300 minutes at the crease, something which none of the other Kiwi batsmen did.
O'Brien had bowled sharp in short spells, troubling the Indian batsmen with short-pitched deliveries. If neither of them are fit, it would further weaken the Kiwi line-up.
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