The cricket team of New Zealand is upset that their one-off Test match against Afghanistan was cancelled due to outfield problems in Greater Noida and continuous rain before a ball was played. The Kiwis will miss out on crucial match practise due to the cancellation in front of their upcoming series against Sri Lanka and India.
Gary Stead, the head coach of New Zealand, voiced his dissatisfaction and pointed out that the team missed the chance to build up to subcontinental levels.
“The thing that disappoints us the most is that we will not have the chance to prepare for and be match-ready for our Test match [against Sri Lanka] the following week. The boys are not happy at all. It was a chance to take on Afghanistan. It doesn’t happen very often,” Stead remarked during the press conference following the game.
With the six-month break between Test cricket matches in New Zealand, the cancellation is especially noteworthy.
The team was excited to adjust to Afghanistan’s playing style and take on their bowling attack. They have several unusual bowlers, so it’s wise to consider your strategy before facing them. Their style of play differs slightly from that of other nations. Learning what to do in certain match circumstances is a constant,” he continued.
We’ve come to play a Test match and play cricket: Gary Stead
The significance of the match to the New Zealand team was clear even though it was not included in the World Test Championship. Stead highlighted how frustrated the crew was. He said that the team is most excited about the red-ball format and is confident they will perform well in it.
“Though it was fine for those two days, the umpires decided it was unsafe to play on because of the excessively soft ground caused by thunderstorms the night before. Thus, that is also somewhat outside the player’s control. However, we were irritated. We have come here to play cricket and to play a Test match. As Jonathan mentioned, Test cricket is extremely important to the players in attendance, and each Test match they get to play in is significant.
With five of the next eight Tests in the current World Test Championship cycle scheduled to take place in Asia, New Zealand has a difficult schedule ahead of them. Stead is still optimistic about the team’s capacity to adjust to changing circumstances in spite of the setback.
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The chance to spend five days on that surface seemed excellent, even if it didn’t have World Test Championship points. It would have been a terrific Test match of cricket since the entire block looked amazing,” he said.
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