One of the most successful New Zealand coaches and currently the Director of Cricket Operations at Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mike Hesson feels that playing three matches in a short span of time for New Zealand will mean that they have to manage their workload very carefully and make sure that they are not exhausted coming into the biggest Test of their lives. New Zealand will play the ICC World Test Championship final against India starting from 18th June.
“It is an issue (playing three Tests with a four-day gap in between). New Zealand will have to look at the bowling attack and that’s potentially why Trent Boult will play this game (second Test against England from Thursday,” Hesson was quoted as saying by the PTI.
“That will give one of those other quicks to rest potentially because it’s only four days between each Test. So, three on the bounce is a big deal, especially if you put in 45 to 50 overs in the second Test, or they just decide to manage the workloads which is not something you usually do going into a Test match,” he said.
New Zealand will be in a slightly advantageous position with the chance of getting acclimatised to the conditions in England. They are currently playing a two-match Test series, the second of which will kick off from June 10 (Thursday). On the other, India will be devoid of any match practice since the IPL might be an issue coming into these alien conditions.
As of now, India is likely to pick Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as the openers but Mike Hesson feels that Mayank Agarwal’s experience of playing the New Zealand bowlers in their conditions should push India to give him a chance. When India toured New Zealand back in 2020 just before the COVID-19 outbreak, Mayank Agarwal was the highest run-getter for India and only one among the four Indians to score a half-century in that particular series.
“They will probably go with Rohit and Shubman but I think Mayank needs to be considered. He has faced the New Zealand attack in New Zealand, where he would have got some crucial experience,” said Hesson.