Auckland, Sep 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) New Zealand head coach Rob Walter admitted that he is eager to see the Indian teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi tested on pace and bouncy tracks in the upcoming T20I series, adding that he secretly wishes to see how he fares in pressure situations.
Sooryavanshi headlines with his destructive batting displays in IPL 2025 and 2026 and this year’s U19 World Cup, which led to the youngster making his T20I debut against England in July. Though he didn’t play in India’s 3-0 series win over Afghanistan and the tight two-run win over Japan in Sano, Sooryavanshi could face his first big test on seam-friendly New Zealand surfaces during the upcoming five-match T20I starting on October 22.
“Yes, I'd love to see him on some pace in bouncy wickets and see how different that looks. But he's an exciting player. You've seen him dominate against the world's best bowlers in the IPL. I think the challenge is always to see how that translates to different conditions and also how do we bowl to him in our conditions.
“Again, secretly as a coach, you always want to see your players under a little bit of pressure and how we respond to that. So looking forward to it, if that is the case. If he's not here, they do have a lot of very good players other than him,” Walter told reporters on Wednesday.
Asked about the recent India-Japan clash and the controversy around a wide call that triggered widespread debate, Walter quipped that he kept his distance from the drama. “A very short segment (I watched). I saw there was some controversy around the wide ruling. But no, I didn't watch a hell of a lot of it, to be fair. The lesser the better, I think.”
Addressing whether the heavy defeat to India in this year’s T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad remains on the minds of his players, Walter conceded that while scars exist, the primary focus is representing the Black Caps with pride on home turf rather than seeking revenge.
“I suppose it is there. No one likes to lose a final. I've done it twice, so I know all about it. But I think what comes first is representing the Black Caps and New Zealand well. So you've got a group of players who are always trying to do that first. Of course, if you manage to get a couple of victories at home, that would be great.
“But taking care of the little steps in between now and then is the most important part. Being excited about representing again - it's been a while for some of the guys. Obviously it's the first time as a collective since the World Cup, with the majority of the squad that was in the World Cup to run out together.
“So there's always something in it. It's not our major focal point, certainly not the things we speak about the most. Most importantly, we want to play good cricket and represent well,” he explained.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup on the horizon, Walter stated that New Zealand already possess a stable template and clear blueprint, which will only require minor adjustments over the next 18 months.
“Our performances in world events will tell you that that is the case. So I think we've got a strong understanding of our blueprint. We've got a strong understanding of the squad and the players that fit into that. So, we'll be just tweaking that along the way over the next year and a bit.”
Walter expressed immense enthusiasm about hosting T20 World Cup champions India for a marathon time in New Zealand, though he jokingly lamented the absence of a third Test match in the schedule. “I mean, there's always so much great energy that comes with playing India, right? Then for them to be coming to our shores, I would have loved a third Test just to cap it all off, you know?
“But you can't get everything. To have a series like that, to play five of each short format, amazing opportunity for our players. India are one of the best sides in the world. They've proved themselves in the world events now time and time again. I think they've lost one short format event in two or three World Cups.
“So, there's no mistaking their quality and so who better to put ourselves against at home? As I said, there's always a great amount of energy, a great amount of fanfare and excitement that comes with playing India. I think our players are just really excited to get on the field,” he added.
Asked if the passionate Indian diaspora might outnumber local supporters in the stands, Walter pointed out the distinct charm of watching cricket in New Zealand. “Maybe. I'm not sure. We'll wait and see. I think what is great is that whoever comes gets to experience cricket in New Zealand, which is quite unique.
“For the most part, not massive stadiums, different settings, nice big grass banks at some of the grounds. That's not experienced a lot by the Indian supporters who experience their game in a different way to us. So that's exciting. We'll have a lot of support either way. The more noise, the better,” he said.
Highlighting the physical challenge of playing late-evening matches during October in New Zealand, Walter noted that chilly weather could work in his team's favour, provided they manage recovery and sleep schedules effectively.
“Hopefully there's a couple of cold evenings. It's a competitive advantage for us, I reckon. I think late starts, most of the guys who have played in the IPL understand what it's like to start a game at 8 pm. I think the challenging part is the games finish late.
“From a sleep and recovery point of view, you end up getting home at 1 am, 2 am, you only fall asleep because your adrenaline is still pumping and even at 4 am. So it's really about how we manage the time and space in between games - I think that's critically important.
“It's probably the unseen stuff that makes it challenging. It's not just the performance on the field, that's what leads up to performance. Trying, again, as best as we possibly can, manage that within the travel and then obviously who we put out onto the field,” he concluded.
Source: IANS
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