Dubai, March 7 (ANI): Ahead of the Champions Trophy final on March 9, New Zealand Coach Gary Stead said that the team is ready to take on favourites India. Since New Zealand's famous title win against India in the Champions Trophy final in 2000, the Kiwis have been on an expedition for their next ICC ODI title. After 25 years of wait, New Zealand stands on the cusp of adding another accolade to its cabinet. Just like their last encounter against India in the final of the same tournament, the Kiwis would need to hunt down the same opponent to end their ICC ODI trophy drought by eking out a victory against the odds.
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00:00Yeah, look, Matt Henry obviously landed on his shoulder and it was pretty uncomfortable.
00:04I guess the positive thing from our perspective is he got back out there to bowl.
00:09We've had some scans and stuff done on him and we're going to give him every chance to be playing in this match.
00:14So still a little bit unknown at this stage.
00:17He's obviously pretty sore just from landing on the point of his shoulder.
00:21But yeah, hopeful he will be okay.
00:24Around Varun, I mean, he's obviously a very good bowler.
00:28He bowled very well.
00:29We'll have a look at the pitch conditions down there as well and see what the effect is that he may have on the game as well.
00:37So, look, we certainly expect him to play after getting 5 for 42 against us in the last game.
00:43And yeah, we'll be planning our, I guess, intentions around that as well.
00:48Let's move to the side here.
00:50Gary, do you guys think Varun's community is more dangerous under the lights than in the daytime?
00:57Sorry, I'm just going to pull it.
00:59Sorry, can we just please just keep the voice down, guys, while people are asking their questions?
01:03Sorry, carry on.
01:04Gary, my question was, was Varun Chakravarti or is Varun Chakravarti more dangerous under the lights than in the daylight?
01:11Look, I think when you have a wrist spinner like that that's bowling, then you're looking for cues as a batsman.
01:21And I think it's always a little bit easier when you're in the daylight to see those things.
01:26So, there's no doubt he's a class bowler.
01:29He obviously showed his skills against us last time.
01:31And he's a big, big threat in the game.
01:34So, we'll be putting our thinking caps on around how we nullify that and how we can still score runs against him.
01:42A word on Ratchan Ravindra, the way he's shaping up?
01:47Look, Ratchan had that nasty blow in his head in Lahore when we played there.
01:52But he's come back and shown his class.
01:56Look, we're very lucky to have him in our side.
01:59He's one of those batsmen that seems to be able to score at a run a ball without particularly trying that hard.
02:05And I think coupled with that is his ability to bowl some left arm spin as well.
02:10Then, look, he's a really important player in our team.
02:13And we're, yeah, I know he's really looking forward to what's ahead that's coming up on Sunday.
02:18Yeah, Gary, the entire narrative in this tournament has been about India getting the advantage of playing all matches in Dubai, the DAS.
02:27You think in that context, New Zealand, at least that you've played 100 overs match there,
02:32some advantage there at least, having no fair idea of what the pitch would behave like on the centre plot, any pitch on the centre plot?
02:37Yeah, I mean, look, the decision around that's out of our hands.
02:40So, it's not something we worry about too much.
02:43India have got to play all their games here in Dubai.
02:46But, as you said, we have had a game here and we'll learn very quickly from that experience there as well.
02:52So, when you come to this stage of the tournament, I mean, we've had eight teams here at the start.
02:58We're down to two now.
02:58It's always exciting to be in this situation.
03:01And from our perspective, it just comes to a one-off game now.
03:04And if we're good enough to beat India on Sunday, then I'm sure we'll be very, very happy.
03:10Kane Williamson has also been in super form.
03:14So, do you expect him to fire again in the final?
03:17And, you know, sort of, is he planning something ahead?
03:21Like, you've had a couple of ODR retirements.
03:23Oh, I'm not sure about that with Kane.
03:27But, look, he's a guy that rises for the big occasion.
03:33And he's done it many, many times for New Zealand in the past.
03:35And, look, cricket's a game your runs aren't guaranteed.
03:39But I know that Kane will be doing everything he can to prepare to score well.
03:43And he's one of those unique individuals, I think, around the world that has that ability to adapt to different services.
03:50And he seems to be able to do that faster than many other players.
03:53So, look, fingers crossed from our perspective that Kane has a big day.
03:57But, look, I think from our perspective, we've got 11 guys in the team that we think all deserve to be there.
04:03Or 15 in our squad that all have a right to be in the starting line-up as well.
04:09But with Kane, look, I mean, he's a special player for us.
04:12And, again, we're thankful to have him in our squad.
04:15Gracias.
04:15Hi, Coach.
04:17Talk for Mr. TV.
04:18Coach, three days before the game, did you arrive to get the player to recovery and playing in different pitches, one of them slower?
04:34Is that advantage for the opponent and it makes the mission more difficult?
04:44Yeah, I think there's no doubt that coming here off playing Lahore and we had a full day of travel yesterday, then it just takes it out of you a little bit.
04:53But we've got a couple of days now of a little bit of recovery and a little bit of planning and training towards the game.
04:58But I guess we're deep into the tournament now.
05:01And sometimes it's not always a lot of training that you need.
05:04It's just getting your body and your mind right to compete in the final.
05:07And that will be our key focus over the next two days.
05:10Let's maybe see with that.
05:12Gary, can I just ask about fielding?
05:14You've obviously had a lot of players fighting this tournament.
05:16What do you put the quality and the success of it down to?
05:20Yeah, it's a strange one, really, because we haven't done a lot differently to what we would normally do.
05:25I think fielding for me is all about attitude.
05:29And if the attitude's right and you expect that every ball will come your way, then you can pull off some amazing things.
05:35And I think through this tournament, we've taken some fantastic catches.
05:39And I mean, Glenn Phillips is the obvious one to go to, but it hasn't been just him.
05:43There's been other guys that have pulled off some really good catching as well.
05:46And that has the ability, I think, to change momentums and games.
05:50And if you're all in that mind space of doing something for the team, then I think it can only help you.
05:56Why do you think Glenn's so good?
05:59He's fast.
06:00He's strong.
06:01He loves fielding as much as anyone that I've seen.
06:05He practices it regularly and he's got that, I guess, unique ability to get himself off the ground and it seems to stick more times than it doesn't.
06:17So, look, he's a fantastic fielder.
06:21There's been a lot of praise for him, I know, and I think it's well-deserved.
06:26India most likely will field the same team, probably with four spinners.
06:30Is that one area of concern because New Zealand doesn't play against four spinners normally in ODIs?
06:37I mean, it's probably what we expect for them to play against us.
06:41But we have four spinners as well within our squad and we think we're pretty well balanced.
06:45But it's always a challenge.
06:47I mean, they are very, very good spinners, all of them in their own right.
06:52So for us, it's just being nice and clear on our plans and working out.
06:55It could be a match-up that we are deciding within our team that it's the right one for us to go after.
07:02And there are the sorts of things that we'll read through the match and work out what is the best way to go.
07:07So, who knows?
07:08They might have off days as well and that could be in our advantage.
07:12Councilman Gambers says there is no advantage to India, having been based on Dubai.
07:17What do you say to that?
07:19Look, I mean, again, it's a little bit out of our control around what that is.
07:23They're not decisions that, I guess, come across my desk anyway.
07:27So for us, it's something that we can't control.
07:30So it's really just getting on with it.
07:32Yes, India have played their four matches here.
07:35We're lucky enough to have had one here against them.
07:38And, yeah, it was a good match without us quite putting our best foot forward as well.
07:43So, look, wherever you play, you just have to go up and be able to be better than them on the day.
07:49And that's our focus.
07:51Does that noise around the side, towards India, put more pressure on them than you do?
07:56Well, look, potentially, I can't speak for what goes on in the Indian dressing room.
08:00But from our perspective, it doesn't change anything.
08:04Coach, you expect Ratchin to play a sort of key role against India's spin.
08:08And just a quick follow-up, what's the general talk been among the batting group for taking more attacking options against Chakravarti?
08:14Look, I think the pitch that we played on in the first game was quite different to the way that the semifinal played against Australia.
08:23So, again, it'll be something we have to read on the day and adapt to what's going on within the match.
08:28But, you know, all our batsmen will have their individual plans around how they want to combat them.
08:34And then it comes down to, I think, good communications in the middle and sometimes a little bit of bravery to take those options on.
08:41So we're certainly up for that.
08:43We're up for that challenge of what India will bring.
08:45And we know that they've got four very capable spinners.
08:48How is the experience of New Zealand team in Pakistan playing ICC Champions Trophy matches and Tri-Nations spectators and other facilities?
08:57Yeah, it was very good.
08:59I mean, I think when you come from New Zealand and we're that little country that's a long, long way away from here,
09:05then anywhere that you play around the world, especially in the subcontinent, you see the passion that's in them.
09:12And the Pakistan fans were no different there.
09:15So we've certainly really enjoyed the experience there.
09:18We've played well in Pakistan as well.
09:20I think we had five or six matches and won them all.
09:23So there's something we're obviously doing right in that part of the world.
09:28I'm just going to have two more, just one here.
09:29New Zealand has been freely consistent in ICC tournaments, but a white ball tournament has been editing them since the last one against India in 2000.
09:37How important is this title for taking New Zealand cricket to an external?
09:41So considering you've lost a couple of senior bowlers like Southie and Boat now, there's a kind of a mini transition that's happening.
09:47So just to inspire the next set of, to make the process much more smooth and get a next set of players coming in.
09:53Yeah, I think if you look at our bowling group, we're possibly one of the most inexperienced groups that are here.
10:00And Willow Rourke, Kyle Jameson, for example, they haven't played a lot of one day cricket or ICC tournament cricket either.
10:10So for them to keep standing up on this stage is very good, especially after the loss of a Southie and Boat, for example, that's been in our ranks for some period of time.
10:21We've also lost a couple of other bowlers in Ferguson and Sears who were in our initial squad.
10:26So we've certainly had our share of trials, I guess, when you look at the makeup of our bowling squad.
10:34But I've been delighted with the way the guys have responded and reacted.
10:38And I thought we bowled well against India here last time as well.
10:42So we can take that confidence, I think, into this game and put our best foot forward.
10:47What a title will mean for New Zealand cricket in terms of it feeding down to the grass foot levels as well?
10:55Yeah, I've always said that when you come to a tournament like this and you've got the eight best sides in the world at the moment,
11:02then I think your first goal is to work out how you make the semi-final and then it's one-off games from there.
11:08And we've, I guess, managed to get two of the three goals.
11:11I think if New Zealand can get up and win this, be a real credit to the players and what they've done.
11:17They're a tight-nitch bunch.
11:19We enjoy each other's company.
11:21We like playing well together.
11:22And I'm sure it'll be a real coup for New Zealand, especially here in Dubai,
11:26after the woman won the T20 World Cup here as well.
11:29Just the last one over here.
11:31You're coming from Lahore, one of the highest scoring venues in tournaments,
11:34to potentially the lowest scoring one.
11:36Can you just talk us a little bit through that challenge?
11:39Yeah, I think that's just about adapting and working out on your feet what you think the par score is for the day
11:45and, I guess, trying to be a little bit ahead of that.
11:48I think the danger is you come from scoring 360-odd in a game
11:52and you think you'll do that again immediately and you go a little bit hard.
11:56So, for us, it's just working out what is the right tactics on the day,
12:01who we are faced up against as well, and then adapting to that.
12:05And, as I said earlier, it's those comms in between the batsmen in the middle
12:09and making sure they're having good communications around who is the right player to take risks against
12:14and what that might look like.