New Zealand’s coach, Gary Stead, admitted that the Champions Trophy scheduling, while unavoidable, has been taxing on his team due to extensive travel.
Throughout the tournament, concerns were raised about India playing all their matches in one city, giving them a possible advantage. Gary Stead refrained from commenting directly on this, acknowledging that such decisions are beyond their control.
However, Stead did emphasize the strain of their demanding travel itinerary on the New Zealand players, especially as none of their matches were affected by washouts.
‘There’s no question that coming here from Lahore – and we had a full travel day yesterday – it does take a little bit out of you,’ Stead noted. Consequently, the team opted to skip training on Friday, two days before the final, to prioritize recovery.
‘But we have a couple of days now for recovery, planning, and training leading up to the game. At this stage of the tournament, it’s not always about intense training. It’s more about ensuring your body and mind are prepared for the final. That’s our main focus for the next couple of days.’
Regarding India playing their entire tournament in Dubai, Stead stated:
‘These aren’t decisions I have any input in. For us, it’s about dealing with what we can’t change and moving forward. Yes, India has played four matches here, and we were fortunate to play one against them here as well. It was a competitive game, even though we didn’t perform at our peak. Regardless of the venue, we need to be better than them on the day, and that’s our aim.’
New Zealand also faces the challenge of adapting from playing their semi-final at a high-scoring ground to Dubai, where the pitch tends to favor spin and par scores are generally lower. In their group match against India in Dubai, New Zealand scored 249 for 9 and were later bowled out for 205.
‘It’s all about adapting and assessing what a good score is on any given day,’ Stead explained. ‘The risk is coming from a game where you scored 360-plus and expecting to replicate that immediately, which can lead to over-aggression. For us, it’s about determining the right strategy for the conditions, considering the opposition, and adjusting accordingly.’
‘Effective communication between batsmen in the middle is also crucial, ensuring they discuss and decide who should take risks and how to approach it.’
Players and Teams mentioned: Gary Stead, New Zealand, India vs New Zealand, ICC Champions Trophy.
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