"New Zealand managed to hold on by the skin of their teeth at Kanpur" - Sunil Gavaskar
The first Test match between India and New Zealand has resulted in a draw at the Green Park in Kanpur. India needed just one wicket for their win as Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel took the game away from the hosts by playing around 10 overs for their side. With the help of them, New Zealand successfully draw the first Test against India on November 29th,
Monday. However, the former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar was not happy with New Zealand for their poor batting show, especially while chasing the target posted by the hosts. The cricketer-turned-commentator has also stated that New Zealand was only looking to survive on the final day of the game.
"New Zealand managed to hold on by the skin of their teeth at Kanpur. Their timid batting after a terrific first session on the final day brought India back into the game, and once they started to get wickets in the second session, they simply piled on more pressure as they realised that the visitors were only keen on survival and not looking for a victory," Sunil Gavaskar wrote his column for Times of India.
There is a place in the finals of the World Test Championships: Sunil Gavaskar
Moreover, the former Indian cricketer had concluded that the top-order batsmen, Tom Latham and William Somerville have almost set up the chase for the team in the morning session itself.
But after the lunch, their fortunes have been changed as Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja went to pick back to back wickets and put the opposition back under pressure.
"At lunchtime, Rahane and Dravid would have been a touch worried, for Latham and Somerville had set up a perfect platform for the following batsmen to play their normal game and take New Zealand home. Then, inexplicably, the shutters were pulled down, and all that it did was allow Rahane to keep men in catching positions," Gavaskar said.
After that, Sunil Gavaskar also claimed that their position in the World Test Championship final would be at stake. "There is a place in the finals of the World Test Championships at stake for both these finalists, and so sharing the points will certainly make a difference as the series goes on," Gavaskar added.