New Zealand keeper Tim Seifert salutes Jasprit Bumrah for his show in T20I series

India left New Zealand stunned with two back-to-back wins in the T20I series and now, the home team needs to win all the remaining games to avoid humiliation at home. While they still challenged India in the first match by setting a 200-plus target, it was less of a match in the second game in which the visiting team produced a clinical bowling performance to restrict Kane Williamson’s team for a 130-some total.

Kiwi wicket-keeper-batsman Tim Seifert came out with special words for the Indian bowlers, especially pacer Jasprit Bumrah, saying his subtle variations made it difficult for the New Zealand batsmen to pick him in the ongoing series and that the home team needed to learn a thing or two about adapting from the visitors. The Indian team had to adapt to the New Zealand conditions within five days of playing their last game against Australia at home. Captain Virat Kohli too expressed a concern over the tight schedules but on the ground, they came up with top performances.

Bumrah, who made his comeback to the national side after over four months, ended with the figure of 1 for 21 in four overs in the second T20I. In the first match, the skiddy bowler took 1 for 31 in four. He could have gotten one more in the second game had Kohli not dropped a sitter. Seifert made 33 not out in 26 balls towards the end to push the New Zealand score upwards but it was not enough for a powerful Indian batting line-up.

“Even in the first game, Bumrah bowled slower balls that were going wider. Normally, death bowlers get into straighter lines, plus yorkers and mix it with chest height. He kind of changes things a lot and is tougher to play,” India Today quoted Seifert as saying.

“…the ball was holding a lot more which made it tougher. So sometimes as a batsman you have to move away from the stumps and see if they bowl straight. I was backing myself to do something different instead of just standing there at the wicket.”

“It was tricky and the ball was holding a little bit. When Kane (Williamson) got out in the over against Yuzvendra Chahal, we knew it was the over to push because they had Bumrah coming back,” the 25-year-old added.

NZ batsmen need to learn from Indian counterparts, Seifert said

The stumper also said New Zealand batsmen needed to learn from their Indian counterparts on how to adapt to different situations faster. He said the Indian batters showed how to get under the ball and execute the shot timely. “They showed it a couple of times that and on the slower wickets you just have to keep it like that. Once you lose your shape, you are not in position,” he said.

He felt his team’s bowlers did reasonably well but the Indian batsmen outperformed them.