Why R Ashwin wants to visit New Zealand's team camp
What's the story
Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed his admiration for the New Zealand cricket team's analytical approach. The spinner's comments came after India beat the Kiwis by four wickets in the opening ODI of their three-match series in Vadodara on Sunday. Despite India's victory, Ashwin was impressed by an inexperienced New Zealand side, which fought till the end.
Learning interest
Willingness to learn from New Zealand's strategies
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin expressed his desire to observe New Zealand's team meetings and planning sessions. He said he would even be willing to pay for the opportunity. "The way they execute their plans, I would pay to sit in their team meetings to understand how they go about it," Ashwin said.
Match analysis
Ashwin acknowledges New Zealand's performance
Ashwin also praised New Zealand for their performance in the first ODI, despite not sending a full-strength squad. He said, "The most impressive was the New Zealand team. India didn't play the best of cricket." Notably, the Kiwis are known to bounce back from tough situations across formats. Time and again, the Black Caps have shown this prowess.
Series update
How the opener panned out
India claimed a wobbling win over New Zealand in the series opener at BCA Stadium, Vadodara. The hosts chased down 301 despite suffering a middle-order collapse. Although Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer put India in the driving seat, Kyle Jamieson's majestic spell reduced the hosts to 242/5. Earlier, the Kiwis reached 300 despite being down to 198/5. Notably, India secured their eighth successive win over New Zealand in ODIs.