Ex-New Zealand cricketer praises Tom Latham’s captaincy for historic Test series win over India

“He captained the squad brilliantly,” Cumming told SENZ Afternoons.

“He kept things simple. He didn’t effort to chop and alteration each the clip with the spinners, and helium showed large spot successful Mitchell Santner’s left-arm rotation successful the 2nd Test, and past Ajaz Patel successful the 3rd Test.

“But helium didn’t effort to present bowlers each the time. In Sri Lanka, I deliberation they astir had excessively galore options, and Tim Southee tried to find ways to ever get radical successful the game.

“That’s not a disapproval of Tim. But what I deliberation Tom Latham did, particularly with the shot and arsenic a captain, was fto bowlers conscionable bowl. He fto them stay, and helium didn’t effort to present oregon alteration things conscionable for the involvement of change.

The victorious New Zealand cricket squad astatine the Wankhede Stadium. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)

“You mightiness get deed for 1 over—that’s fine. We’ll transportation on. And I deliberation the simplicity of that attack allowed them to beryllium much successful. They ever knew that they were the champion enactment for those batters, and that gave them assurance to succeed.

“I deliberation erstwhile they look back, that simplicity volition beryllium a hallmark of this series. From the archetypal Test, you could spot that was much the Tom Latham style.”

Cumming highlighted Latham’s spot successful Glenn Phillips during the 3rd Test astatine Wankhede Stadium successful Mumbai arsenic an illustration of this approach.

“He kept things simple. He didn’t effort to chop and alteration each the clip with the spinners, showing spot successful Santner successful the 2nd Test and past Ajaz successful the third.

“He didn’t effort to perpetually bring successful caller bowlers. In Sri Lanka, they astir had excessively galore options, and Tim Southee tried to impact everyone.

New Zealand’s skipper Tom Latham celebrates his fractional period connected the 2nd time of the 2nd trial cricket lucifer betwixt India and New Zealand, astatine the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, successful Pune, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (PTI Photo)

“That’s not a disapproval of Tim, but Tom Latham, particularly arsenic a captain, fto the bowlers settee into their rhythm. He didn’t marque changes conscionable for the involvement of it.”

Cumming besides noted that Latham’s power was evident successful the batting department.

“They tried to beryllium much inventive,” Cumming said.

“They tried to beryllium much proactive. You could truly spot that attack because, arsenic we saw successful the past Test, you’re going to look challenging deliveries, but you person to people arsenic galore runs arsenic you can.

“They conscionable fought. Every shot was a conflict successful itself.”