Black Caps struggle for answers against Indian bowlers, says Boult

NEW DELHI: New Zealand’s batsmen are struggling for answers against India’s bowling attack, Black Caps pace spearhead Trent Boult conceded Wednesday, before the second one-day international in New Delhi.
The Kane Williamson-led side mustered just 190 runs in the opening match in Dharamsala earlier this week, a total which India chased down in just 33.1 overs.
“We are looking to get more runs, as basic as it sounds. If we could put more runs on (the) board we could offer more scoreboard pressure on a good Indian side,” Boult told reporters on the eve of Thursday’s game.
“They are a quality side and they are putting a lot of pressure on us at the moment and at the moment we don’t have the answers for their questions,” said Boult, whose team-mates were whitewashed by their hosts in the Test series.
Debutant medium-pacer Hardik Pandya led an inspired bowling attack on Sunday, rattling New Zealand who slipped to 48 for five and 106 for eight before Tom Latham and Tim Southee gave some respectability to the visitors’ total.
“There are still four matches up for grabs. An opportunity (is there) for us to right a few wrongs and put in a good performance,” said Boult, who expects to play at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla stadium after being rested for the first game.
India’s coach Anil Kumble said Pandya’s inclusion had given the starting eleven the “right balance.”
The 23-year-old, who has played 16 Twenty20 internationals for India, impressed with match figures of 3-31 in seven overs in the first ODI.
“I think he is someone who gives us the right balance, because he cannot only bowl but he bowls at a pretty decent pace,” said Kumble.

Anderson set to miss opening India Test
England’s record-breaking bowler Jimmy Anderson, who has already been ruled out of the current tour of Bangladesh, will miss next month’s first Test against India, captain Alastair Cook said Wednesday.
“I don’t think he’ll be there for the start. He might be ready to do some training, but he won’t be ready for the first Test match” in India, Cook told reporters.
“I don’t know what’s happening — they will be making some decisions over the next seven days or so. I spoke to him last night and he is training well and in good shape physically.”
Anderson, England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker, has not played since the fourth Test against Pakistan in August because of a shoulder injury. He has not traveled to Bangladesh, where England on Thursday begin a two-Test series in Chittagong.
Asked whether he was optimistic the 34-year-old would play some part in the five-Test India series, Cook refused to give any guarantees and said a decision on when he would travel had still to be made.
“You should probably speak to the medical team and Jimmy on that. He hasn’t yet bowled since, and that has been the problem in the past,” Cook told reporters in Chittagong.
“He’s making some really good strides and we’ll know more later on.”
Anderson’s continued absence would be a significant blow to England’s chances in India, who are the world’s number one Test side and have a formidable home record.
England are expected to field three spinners in the Chittagong Test, with the 39-year-old Gareth Batty expected to be selected after more than a decade in the international wilderness.