Unprecedented six changes also spotlight WTC’s affect on international cricket
New Zealand have never up to now made six changes to their side inside a series and that they did so at Edgbaston and still managed to take seven wickets after being asked to bowl on a flat pitch used to be evidence of two things: firstly, unprecedented strength in depth inside their Test squad, and secondly, the extent of the World Test Championship’s affect on international cricket.
Tom Latham, their stand-in captain, insisted in his pre-match press convention that beating England used to be “higher on our precedence list” than the WTC ultimate, but that he used to be saying it in the first place used to be proof of the inverse: Kane Williamson used to be ruled out through elbow pain here but would surely be risked against India whether he suffered the same ailment next week.Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Colin de Grandhomme were all rotated out to administer their workloads ahead of the same fixture, and while BJ Watling’s stiff back and Mitchell Santner’s cut finger might mannered have caused them to overlook out under any circumstances, the presence of ready-made replacements in Tom Blundell and Ajaz Patel and Trent Boult’s return meant only a limited drop-off in the quality of New Zealand’s side.
It has been lucid for some time that the notion of teams knowing their ‘best XI’ is anachronistic in this era of international cricket but in the Covid era of enlarged squads, bubble fatigue, variety in conditions and a punishing schedule, squad depth is more applicable than ever. India proved as much all through their fantastic series win in Australia at the start of this year, and with New Zealand fielding 17 players across these two Tests, they’re showing that the era of “Hadlee at one end, Ilford seconds at the other” is long gone.
The only time a team has used more than that in a two-match series used to be when Sri Lanka rested seven players after an innings-and-196-run win against a struggling Bangladesh in 2002, which led Sanath Jayasuriya to complain he had never seen some of his new side before and drew the disapproval of the government’s sports minister – though they still won the second one Test by 288 runs.It is no great surprise that depth at times has been an issue in a country of only five million people. In early 2020, injuries and illness forced them to make five changes for the third Test against Australia in Sydney; the result used to be a 279-run hammering to confirm a 3-0 series defeat, which looked as if it would confirm their over-reliance on a small core of senior players.
But in the 18 months since, they have got made strides forwards: Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell and Devon Conway have made fine starts to their respective careers, Blundell looks able to take the gloves full-time once Watling retires, and Patel and Matt Henry have slotted in without fuss. The true test of depth will come day after today, when a batting line-up shorn of its linchpin comes up against England’s four seamers, but on a dry pitch with few apparent demons, it would be no surprise whether they took a lead into the third day.
“We knew there were some [injury] doubts, and we obviously at all times fall back on our squad,” Henry said at the near. “We’ve got a big squad here and everyone seems to have a good understanding of where they take a seat and experience as mannered. As a squad, we’re pretty self-assured and comfortable with what we have in the sheds. That is what’s been the foundation of this squad: that depth, and trusting that when you come in, you realize what your role is.”
Ajaz Patel made a strong case for retention Getty Images
It used to be Patel who made the strongest case for retention in next week’s ultimate on the first day, though Henry bowled better than his figures suggested – in keeping with the remainder of his Test career – and Mitchell nagged absent tirelessly on a length. While England had opted not to field a frontline spinner for the second one Test in a row – and the fifth time since Chris Silverwood became head coach in late 2019 – Patel showed the advantages of picking one, providing the keep watch over that had eluded Santner at Lord’s as he conceded only 2.42 runs an over in a holding role.
He made two important breakthroughs, too, ending stands of 42 and 47 when Ollie Pope edged at the back of and Olly Stone used to be pinned lbw on the sweep. Pitches at the Ageas Bowl are more spin-friendly than in the majority of England, and with India’s line-up dominated by right-handers, Patel’s ability to turn the ball absent from the bat makes him a more persuasive option than a fifth seamer in next week’s ultimate.
Furthermore, New Zealand’s willingness to make changes demonstrated the transformative effect that the WTC has had on Test cricket – for better or for worse. This series – which isn’t a part of the Championship – has at all times been peculiar, a late addition to an already-crowded schedule to thank broadcasters and host venues and supply New Zealand with preparation ahead of next week’s ultimate, but the assembly of sides ranked No. 2 and No. 4 on the earth can rarely have felt such a lot like a enhance act.
With England’s multi-format players lacking and New Zealand happy to rotate ahead of the main event, the fact there are no points at stake seems to have taken something absent, even with a 17,000-strong Edgbaston crowd adding to the spectacle on Thursday. Much of the criticism of England’s final-day go-slow at Lord’s rested on the point that there used to be nothing to lose: while the WTC’s first cycle has struggled to spark much enthusiasm, it is fitting increasingly more obvious that it is shaping teams’ approaches.
Matt Curler is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98