Harbhajan key with willow

Nov 20, 2010 - By Daniel Vettori |

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Twists & Turns

We need to just continue doing what we have done so far on the tour in the final five days of this engrossing Test series. Sometimes when you have done well you try and do something different to continue that success. But we will keep banking on the simple plans we have.

The key will be to keep batting as well as we have and continue doing the same sort of thing. Harbhajan has been the key for India with the bat. That’s been one of the reasons why we have been held back after we have been able to get into decent position. Our batting has been coming good with our top six being outstanding. We need them to come good one more time so that we can push for a win. I have been asked at a press conference if a drawn series will mean a moral victory for us. I simply do not agree with that. When you start thinking like that then you are on the back foot straightaway.

We are here to win a series and that was our stated aim beforehand. We knew that it was a really tough ask.

But it is a good starting point for us. I have been on three full tours to India with New Zealand in 1999-2000, 2003-04 and now. All three times we have done well as a team in Test matches. It has been because our batting has held up well against spinners. This past week Test cricket has also shown that if world class players like Chris Gayle and Younis Khan stand up, then a team can generate momentum and the others can follow.

I speak having known how our own world class star Brendon McCullum felt after that nine-hour marathon. He is pretty exhausted, but he has had a couple of days of rest and he will feel better now. We have had our training
sessions at the VCA ground here in Nagpur.

The pitch looks pretty good, but dry. There has been talk about the pitch having a little more bounce, but I have no doubt that it will turn out to be a good batting wicket.

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