"Guess we have a little more information on him now" - Tim Southee confident of Kiwis tackling Shreyas Iyer better in 2nd India vs New Zealand Test

Experienced New Zealand pacer Tim Southee has stated that the Kiwis would be better prepared to deal with Shreyas Iyer in the second Test, having seen quite a bit of him in Kanpur.

Shreyas made a fantastic Test debut in the first match of the series, scoring 105 and 65. He thus became the first Indian batter to score a hundred and fifty on Test debut.

Praising Shreyas’ performance, Southee said at a pre-match press conference:

"He played exceptionally well, the way he played on his debut and with that confidence, it was brilliant. I guess we have a little more information on him now. It is not that easy to target with a short ball on such slow surfaces. We will look at our plans, although he scored some runs, India has a quality lineup.”

Southee asserted that the team is not concerned about the form of the middle order heading into the second Test.

New Zealand collapsed from 151 for no loss to 258 for 7 in the first innings in Kanpur, and from 79 for 1 to 138 for 7 in the second essay. India looked set to win the first Test. However, a stubborn last-wicket stand between Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel on Day 5 allowed the visitors to escape with a draw.

However, Southee backed the team’s middle order to come good at the Wankhede. He commented:

"No, I don't think so (middle order is a concern). There were periods for both sides where one was able to take wickets at a time, so it's not easy to start in these conditions. Ross Taylor is experienced and knows this part of the world as well and then you have a couple of guys who have played here. So I don't think the form of middle order is a concern for us. They are all quality players and I'm sure they can perform at this level."

While Taylor managed only 11 and 2 in Kanpur, Henry Nicholls was dismissed for 2 and 1. Wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell registered scores of 13 and 2.

“We were not expecting rain but need to adapt” - Tim Southee

Mumbai has been experiencing unseasonal rains since Wednesday and the Kiwis, too, have been caught by surprise. Admitting the same, Southee said that, as professionals, they need to adapt. The 32-year-old stated:

"I guess the wickets have been under the covers, hopefully, Gary and Kane can have a look at this wicket this afternoon. We were not expecting rain but this is something we need to adapt to it."

The second Test of the India vs New Zealand series starts at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday.