New Zealand batsman Henry Nicholls has made a significant statement regarding the ongoing ODI series against India.
He said that with fewer ODI matches being played between major tournaments, the importance of such series has increased significantly. He made this statement while speaking to the media before a training session in India.
Nicholls clearly stated that even though the next 50-over World Cup is still 22 months away, the preparation for and value of ODI cricket cannot be ignored, especially when the entire focus is on the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Why ODI Cricket is Called “More Important Than Ever”
Speaking to the media, Henry Nicholls said, “Like you say there’s not as much one-day cricket between major events, I think that makes these series even more important.”
He also mentioned that some players have been playing List-A cricket back home, which has helped them stay prepared for the format.
“A few of us have been playing some List-A cricket back home, so we have got a bit of the format under our belt,” he said.
After the close defeat in the first ODI, Nicholls acknowledged that the team did many things right, but they need to sustain that performance for longer periods.
“From a batting point of view, we did a lot of things pretty well and it’s a case of us being able to do them for a bit longer,” he said.
He also spoke openly about the experience of playing against top Indian players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. According to Nicholls, playing against such experienced players is a big challenge for any young team.
“That’s the challenge when you come over here… when you play against players who have played that much cricket,” he said.
He also added that if bowlers are able to take wickets, they can put any team under pressure.
“If you’re able to take wickets, you’re able to put teams under pressure,” Nicholls said. ##The One-Ball Rule and Its Impact on Batting
Henry Nicholls also shared his thoughts on the one-ball rule, which comes into effect after the 34th over.
He believes it makes batting more difficult.
“The ball was quite a lot darker and a lot softer as well which can make it harder to get away,” he said.
He explained that this is precisely why the rule was introduced – to make scoring runs in the death overs more challenging.
“That is why they brought the rule in… to make it a little bit harder around the death stage,” Nicholls said.
According to him, if a team is batting first and is ahead in the match, they should try to score runs earlier in the innings rather than waiting until the end.
“Maybe take it on a little bit earlier,” he added.
