Abhishek Sharma has been a formidable force for bowlers worldwide, yet New Zealand's Matt Henry has a straightforward strategy to tackle the Indian opener:
maintain pressure through consistent accuracy.
Henry dismissed Abhishek for a golden duck in Visakhapatnam during the fourth T20I, contributing significantly to New Zealand's 50-run victory. "He's been playing brilliantly over the last two years and he's been taking to attacks, not just in international cricket but in IPL as well," Henry stated.
Henry emphasised the importance of accuracy and resilience when facing challenges on the field. He explained that maintaining focus and not dwelling on past overs is crucial for making an impact. "It's challenging from a bowling point of view but the key thing is how do you come back when you have a mixed over, how do you have an impact on the game and not worry about those things?" he added.
New Zealand's World Cup Preparations
Henry believes that playing in India will benefit New Zealand in the upcoming T20 World Cup. He highlighted the significance of confidence in T20 cricket and learning from each game. "For me, T20 cricket is about confidence.how do you keep coming back and challenging batters when you're under pressure? How do you find a way to make it work?" he said.
The series against India has provided valuable experience for New Zealand's players, according to Henry. Despite the pressure, they have remained confident, which he sees as a testament to their character. "It's never nice being put under that kind of pressure but we knew that the long-term picture was getting prepared for a World Cup," Henry noted.
Leadership and Team Dynamics
Since Tim Southee and Trent Boult retired over the past two years, Henry has taken on a leadership role across all formats for New Zealand. He acknowledges the physical demands and challenges posed by a packed cricket schedule. "I think it's obviously a big toll on the body. I think the scheduling of cricket is getting tighter and tighter as well so that presents different challenges," he explained.
Henry appreciates having a balanced squad with both experienced players and newcomers gaining valuable exposure. This depth is crucial for New Zealand's success across all formats. "We've got some young guys getting some new experiences here and we've got other guys that have been here too," he elaborated.
Adapting Bowling Strategies
To stay competitive against modern-day batters, Henry stresses the need for bowlers to employ variations in T20 matches. He suggests using different tactics to force batters into making mistakes, even when conditions favour them. "How do you, I suppose, get the batters to make a mistake when things are probably in their favour?" he questioned.
Henry believes that creating variations, such as altering pace or playing on the crease, can be effective strategies. "So you're just trying to, I suppose, whether you're playing on the crease, creating variations, changing your pace but as I said it's all about variations," he concluded.
With inputs from PTI
