New Zealand’s senior batsmen and seasoned campaigner Ross Taylor said the absence of Shikhar Dhawan would be a huge disadvantage for India going into the World Cup match tomorrow at the Trent Bridge ground in Nottingham.
Speaking ahead of the match, Taylor said, “Shikhar is a big loss to India. He plays very well at ICC tournaments and has a good record over here. He and Rohit Sharma have a good partnership, and I think they complement each other well because they're right and left-handed. In terms of our line-up, I think we've had a similar balanced side for a long time, and when you do have a right-left hand combination, it does put pressure in different ways on the opposition's bowling.”
ALSO READ: Final call on 'precious' Shikhar Dhawan only after 10-12 days, says Bangar
Taylor knows this ground well having played for the Nottinghamshire in county cricket. Giving his insights on the conditions, he said, traditionally, there are short boundaries at the ground, which big hitters from both sides would be looking to take advantage of. He indicated that New Zealand would decide on the team looking at whether it is likely to be a full 50-over game or a truncated one. On the possibility of the match being washed out, Taylor said, “I said at the start of the tournament that luck is going to play a part. England is a beautiful place, but it's not famous for good weather. But there's still a long way to go in this tournament. I'm sure there's going to be rained-out games along the way. We found that in Taunton, and there have been times where forecasts have been wrong as well. Hopefully, tomorrow is one.”
He refused to get drawn into the row over the zing bails. “They're here to stay, and I think they add a good dimension, a different dimension to cricket. A few batsmen have had a bit of luck in recent times. It is what it is. Just get on with it. I'm sure the bowlers are a little bit disappointed, but I'm sure the batters are very happy at the same time.”
On the Trent Bridge wicket, which has been under covers this entire week and soaked in a lot of moisture due to the heavy rain over the last few days, Taylor said, “It's a great place to play cricket. Traditionally, it can favour the batters at times, but I'm sure that bowlers will be going to have a little bit there. It's been out in the kettles for two or three days and hasn't seen the sun. I'm sure we'll have to wait and see what happens.”
