After a thrashing in Sri Lanka in the recent two-Test series, one can only gauge how much of a harrowing time awaits New Zealand on reaching Indian shores.
Their three-match series against Rohit Sharma & Co. begins with the first Test in Bengaluru on October 16. The Black Caps, particularly their batsmen, will require a Herculean effort to keep the hosts’ well-rounded, balanced attack, and especially their spinners, at bay.
Keeping that in mind, middle-order batsman Daryl Mitchell, on time off in Dubai after the Sri Lanka tour, decided to make use of the break. Mitchell connected with Rajasthan Royals support coach Siddhartha Lahiri towards the end of September to practise and sharpen his skills against spin bowling.
Tuesday was the first of his three-day training with former Behala resident Lahiri at Dubai’s JA Resorts & Hotels’ sports facilities. Last month, even Rachin Ravindra, another vital cog of New Zealand’s batting line-up alongside Mitchell and Kane Williamson, had trained for a few days in Chennai under the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) academy head coach Sriram Krishnamurthy.
Getting off to good starts and not converting them has been a problem for 33-year-old Mitchell. In Sri Lanka too, he registered just a lone 50-plus score and that’s an area the former Royals man — who played for CSK in the last two seasons of the IPL — is working on.
“A few things are important for him. From a technical point of view, a batsman needs to get into his best ball-striking form and when he has done so, there has to be a sync between the bat and the ball.
“Daryl is one of the batsmen who plays all three formats. So, for all-format cricketers, the challenge is tokeep remembering that sync and getting into the rhythm which makes them feel confident,” Lahiri told The Telegraph after Tuesday’s session with Mitchell.
So far in his 25-Test career, Mitchell has playedjust once in India, scoring a solid 92-ball 60 in the second innings of the MumbaiTest in December 2021. His aggressive batting and ability to take on the spinners willbe a massive factor forthe visitors. Besides, theupcoming contests against the Indian bowling attackwill also be a test ofMitchell’s tenacity.
“Today (Tuesday), he batted against six-seven (local) spinners all of them being of different types, with a focus on increasing the tenacity to bat for long hours... A variable practice method with different types of spinners bowling randomly to make him adjust and have a clear thought process instead of remaining sedated on similar kinds of stuff.
“Daryl comes across as someone always willing to listen and adapt. Being decisive in footwork is also key alongside a little modulation to the drills he needs to do.
“In an environment of close-in fielders around you, something he’ll be facing against India, such a set-up can help you take the game away from the opposition. So, if you keep doing that and practise with clarity inmind, that’s possible. And Daryl’s looking to make this practice his method, balance it and stick to it,” Lahiri, also the Royals’ global head of academy, explained.