Indian cricket team in New Zealand in 2008–09
Encyclopedia
The Indian cricket team
toured New Zealand
from 25 February to 7 April 2009, playing a Test match series with New Zealand for the first time in five years. The tour included three Tests, five ODIs and two T20I
s. New Zealand
won both the T20I
s.
India
won both the ODI series 3-1 and Test series 1-0.
got his maiden call up to the national squad, having been selected for the test squad after a strong debut Ranji trophy
season where he was the highest wicket taker. L Balaji made a return to the Test squad after a five year hiatus having last played in a test in 2004. Balaji was dropped from the ODI squad after he played in a single match in the previous tour, he was replaced by the now fit Munaf Patel
. In the test squad Balaji replaced Pragyan Ojha
with the selectors opting for an extra seamer instead of an extra spinner for the tour. Ojha retained his place in the ODI and T20 squads. Subramaniam Badrinath
was dropped from the test squad in favour of reserve Wicket-Keeper
Dinesh Karthik
after Karthik too had a strong Ranji trophy season. Karthik was selected for all three squads, replacing Jadeja in the ODI squad. Ravindra Jadeja's impressive ODI debut was rewarded with a call up to the Twenty20 squad but Jadeja will be replaced by Sachin Tendulkar
for the subsequent ODI series. Munaf Patel
made a return to all three squads after having to pull out midway through the previous tour of Sri Lanka due to injury. Harbhajan Singh
also made a return to all three squads after having to pull out at the beginning of the previous tour to Sri Lanka due to injury.
The New Zealand squad for the T20's was announced on the 21st of February. Jacob Oram
Jesse Ryder
and Ross Taylor
returned after their injry. Oram however will only play as a batsman. Kyle Mills
was injured and was replaced by Ewen Thompson
. Ryder replaced Peter Fulton
and Ishant Sharma
and groom a traditionally seam-friendly wicket, and India for not ramming home its advantage over the course of the final two days. "A 2-0 victory would have been a more correct index of the difference between the teams," wrote Indian journalist Suresh Menon
, bemoaning Dhoni's lack of urgency first in batting on too long in the second innings and then in leading a signally listless and complacent display in the field. The Indian skipper's answer to the first charge was that "a huge score meant that we could keep attacking all the time." As Menon observed, however,
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
toured New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
from 25 February to 7 April 2009, playing a Test match series with New Zealand for the first time in five years. The tour included three Tests, five ODIs and two T20I
Twenty20 International
A Twenty20 International is a form of cricket which is played over 20 overs per side between two national cricket teams. The game is played under the rules of Twenty20 cricket...
s. New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
won both the T20I
Twenty20 International
A Twenty20 International is a form of cricket which is played over 20 overs per side between two national cricket teams. The game is played under the rules of Twenty20 cricket...
s.
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
won both the ODI series 3-1 and Test series 1-0.
Squads
The Indian Squads were announced on the 13th of February. Dhawal KulkarniDhawal Kulkarni
Dhawal Sunil Kulkarni is an Indian first class cricketer. He is a right arm medium-pace bowler and right-handed lower order batsman. In first class cricket, he plays for Mumbai and in the Indian Premier League, he plays for Mumbai Indians...
got his maiden call up to the national squad, having been selected for the test squad after a strong debut Ranji trophy
Ranji Trophy
The Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides, equivalent to the County Championship in England and the Sheffield Shield in Australia...
season where he was the highest wicket taker. L Balaji made a return to the Test squad after a five year hiatus having last played in a test in 2004. Balaji was dropped from the ODI squad after he played in a single match in the previous tour, he was replaced by the now fit Munaf Patel
Munaf Patel
Munaf Musa Patel Urdu:مناف موسی پٹیل is an Indian cricketer who has also played for the West Zone in the Duleep Trophy and Gujarat, Mumbai cricket team and Maharashtra cricket team....
. In the test squad Balaji replaced Pragyan Ojha
Pragyan Ojha
Pragyan Prayish Ojha is an Indian cricketer. Debuting in first class cricket in 2004/05, Ojha is a left-arm spinner who has represented India at under-19 level....
with the selectors opting for an extra seamer instead of an extra spinner for the tour. Ojha retained his place in the ODI and T20 squads. Subramaniam Badrinath
Subramaniam Badrinath
Subramaniam Badrinath is an Indian cricketer. He is a right-handed middle order batsman. Badrinath has represented India in One Day International matches. In first class cricket, he captains Tamil Nadu and in the Indian Premier League, he plays for Chennai Super Kings. He has also represented...
was dropped from the test squad in favour of reserve Wicket-Keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik
Krishna Kumar Dinesh Karthik is a wicketkeeper-batsman who has made his debut for the Indian cricket team in 2004 and has been a regular member of the team for varying periods since then, including a stint in 2007 as a specialist opening batsman and non-wicket-keeper...
after Karthik too had a strong Ranji trophy season. Karthik was selected for all three squads, replacing Jadeja in the ODI squad. Ravindra Jadeja's impressive ODI debut was rewarded with a call up to the Twenty20 squad but Jadeja will be replaced by Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the only male player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket...
for the subsequent ODI series. Munaf Patel
Munaf Patel
Munaf Musa Patel Urdu:مناف موسی پٹیل is an Indian cricketer who has also played for the West Zone in the Duleep Trophy and Gujarat, Mumbai cricket team and Maharashtra cricket team....
made a return to all three squads after having to pull out midway through the previous tour of Sri Lanka due to injury. Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh Plaha , commonly known as Harbhajan Singh, is an Indian cricketer. A specialist bowler, he has the second-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner, behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan....
also made a return to all three squads after having to pull out at the beginning of the previous tour to Sri Lanka due to injury.
The New Zealand squad for the T20's was announced on the 21st of February. Jacob Oram
Jacob Oram
Jacob David Philip Oram is a New Zealand cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler. His abilities with both bat and ball has made him a regular fixture in the current New Zealand International sides...
Jesse Ryder
Jesse Ryder
Jesse Daniel Ryder is a New Zealand cricketer. He is a middle-order batsman for Tests and is an opening batsman in ODIs. Ryder also bowls useful medium-pace. He has previously represented his country in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup of 2002...
and Ross Taylor
Ross Taylor
Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor , abbreviated in cricket scorecards to LRPL Taylor, but more commonly known as Ross Taylor, is a New Zealand cricketer and the current captain, preferred ahead of wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum. He has also captained the New Zealand Under-19 side in youth internationals...
returned after their injry. Oram however will only play as a batsman. Kyle Mills
Kyle Mills
Kyle David Mills is a New Zealand cricketer. Kyle is right-arm pace bowler who can also score quick runs in the later stages of one day innings; in October 2009 he reached his peak position of 1st on the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Bowling Rankings.Having been injured in Australia in February 2007,...
was injured and was replaced by Ewen Thompson
Ewen Thompson
Ewen Paul Thompson is a New Zealand cricketer who played in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 1998. Thompson has also played for Northland and Manawatu in the Hawke Cup. He was born in Warkworth....
. Ryder replaced Peter Fulton
Peter Fulton
Peter Gordon Fulton nicknamed Two metre Peter, is a New Zealand cricketer who has recently broken into the New Zealand One Day side....
Indian Squad for ODI
- MS Dhoni - Captain/Wicket Keeper
- Virender Sehwag - Vice Captain
- Dinesh Karthik - Wicket Keeper
- Gautam Gambhir
- Harbhajan Singh
- Irfan Pathan
- Ishant Sharma
- Munaf Patel
- Pragyan Ojha
- Praveen Kumar
- Rohit Sharma
- Sachin Tendulkar
- Suresh Raina
- Yusuf Pathan
- Yuvraj Singh
- Zaheer Khan
Indian Squad for Twenty20
- MS Dhoni - Captain/Wicket Keeper
- Virender Sehwag - Vice Captain
- Dinesh Karthik - Wicket Keeper
- Gautam Gambhir
- Harbhajan Singh
- Irfan Pathan
- Ishant Sharma
- Munaf Patel
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Rohit Sharma
- Pragyan Ojha
- Praveen Kumar
- Suresh Raina
- Yusuf Pathan
- Yuvraj Singh
- Zaheer Khan
New Zealand Squad for Twenty20
- Daniel Vettori - Captain
- Neil Broom
- Ian Butler
- Grant Elliott
- Martin Guptill
- Brendon McCullum - Wicketkeeper
- Nathan McCullum
- Iain O'Brien
- Jacob Oram
- Jesse Ryder
- Tim Southee
- Ross Taylor
- Ewen Thompson
Grounds
- AMI Stadium, ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
- Cap 36,500 - Basin ReserveBasin ReserveThe Basin Reserve , is a cricket ground in Wellington, New Zealand, used for Test, first-class and one-day cricket. Some argue that its proximity to the city, its Historic Place status and its age make it the most famous cricket ground in New Zealand...
, WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
- Cap 11,600 - Eden ParkEden ParkEden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
, AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
- Cap 50,000 - McLean ParkMcLean ParkMcLean Park is a sports ground in Napier, New Zealand. The two main sports played at the ground are cricket and rugby. It is one of the 10 proper cricket grounds of New Zealand....
, NapierNapier, New ZealandNapier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
- Cap 16,500 - Seddon ParkSeddon ParkSeddon Park is a cricket ground in Hamilton, 4th largest city in New Zealand and is renowned for its "village green" setting, affording a picnic atmosphere for spectators. It is the 4th largest proper Cricket Ground in New Zealand. The Stadium was named after the former New Zealand Prime Minister...
, HamiltonHamilton, New ZealandHamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
- Cap 10,000 - Westpac StadiumWestpac StadiumWestpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders...
, WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
- Cap 33,500
1st Twenty20
2nd Twenty20
1st ODI
2nd ODI
3rd ODI
4th ODI
5th ODI
1st Test
2nd Test
3rd Test
Both sides came under criticism for their defensive approach in the final Test — New Zealand for failing to set aside its headaches about the gifts of Zaheer KhanZaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan is an Indian cricketer who has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000. A left arm fast bowler considered as the best of the Indian fast bowling attack, Zaheer is known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, and as a batsman also holds the record for the highest Test...
and Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma is an Indian cricketer. He is a right arm fast medium bowler. He has a high arm delivery action and is not a swinger of the ball but depends a lot on pace and movement off the seam....
and groom a traditionally seam-friendly wicket, and India for not ramming home its advantage over the course of the final two days. "A 2-0 victory would have been a more correct index of the difference between the teams," wrote Indian journalist Suresh Menon
Suresh Menon
-Career:Menon has appeared in movies including Phir Hera Pheri, Partner, Fool N Final, Krazzy 4, Deewane Huye Pagal, Chalte Chalte, God Only Knows, Dil To Pagal Hai and Hello. Additionally, he has made an appearance on the television show Comedy Circus...
, bemoaning Dhoni's lack of urgency first in batting on too long in the second innings and then in leading a signally listless and complacent display in the field. The Indian skipper's answer to the first charge was that "a huge score meant that we could keep attacking all the time." As Menon observed, however,
strangely, he didn't attack all the time. He didn't tell Harbhajan SinghHarbhajan SinghHarbhajan Singh Plaha , commonly known as Harbhajan Singh, is an Indian cricketer. A specialist bowler, he has the second-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner, behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan....
that the bowler should stop sending down his express deliveries but flight the ball. Post-tea on the fourth day, the whole team appeared over-relaxed and almost casual, as if winning would be just a matter of turning up on the fifth day.
A 2-0 victory would have been a more correct index of the difference between the teams. India appeared only too satisfied with a 1-0 win. This is not how champion teams play, and if India aspire to knock Australia off the perch at the top, they will have to be more ruthless in their approach, more focused, and not so easily satisfied.