Pune: India wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav had a disappointing outing in the first ODI against New Zealand as they conceded 115 runs between them, taking just one wicket. However, bowling coach Bharat Arun has thrown his weight behind the duo. “These two boys have done exceptionally well for us and we would like to take a good look at them before we could come up with a combination for the World Cup,” said Arun.
Arun said India have a plan for the Kiwis in the second ODI. “We have taken a good look at the videos to know how they played the sweep shots,” he added. The former Tamil Nadu pacer said India’s bowling attack would change according to the format. “Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav are our main Test bowlers. Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah have been exceptional in limited-overs. As we are going to play a lot of cricket in the near future, it is very important that we have a pool of bowlers to choose from. They should remain fresh for every form of the game that we play,” he said.
Meanwhile, New Zealand batsman Tom Latham who unsettled the Indian bowlers with his cross-batted shots in the first ODI credited the warm-up matches for his sparkling knock in Mumbai. He slammed run-a-ball 103 and also stitched a double-hundred stand with Ross Taylor. “One thing that comes to me naturally is playing sweep shots. It's something that I find easier to play than hitting down the ground. It was nice to have those two warm-up games before the series. It helped me get used to the spin attack. Batting in middle-order when the ball is a little bit softer is not easy. It is nice that I adapted quickly,” said the left-handed batsman.
