File image of Tom Latham and Tim Southee© BCCI
Former batter-turned-coach Craig Cumming feels that Tom Latham’s captaincy was one of the driving forces behind New Zealand’s first-ever Test series win in India, snapping the hosts home streak of 18 straight series triumphs since a 2-1 loss to England in 2012. With their historic win, New Zealand also became the first team to inflict a series sweep on India in their home for the first time since South Africa’s 2-0 win in 1999/2000 and overall the fourth side to whitewash India in a series of 3 or more Tests after England, Australia and the West Indies.
Latham was thrust into the captaincy role after Tim Southee decided to withdraw from the position on the back of their lacklustre losses in Sri Lanka.
“He captained the team brilliantly. He kept things simple. He didn’t try and chop and change all the time with the spinners, and just about trusted the left-arm spin in Mitchell Santner in the second Test and then Ajaz in (the third Test),” Cumming told SENZ Afternoons.
Cumming believed that Latham’s straightforward strategy and unwavering faith in a core group of bowlers paid off in the end, in contrast to Southee’s leadership style.
“But he didn’t try and introduce bowlers all the time. In Sri Lanka. I think they nearly had too many options and Tim Southee tried to find ways to always get people in the game. That’s not a criticism of Tim. But what I think Tom Latham did, especially with the ball and as a captain, he let bowlers just bowl. He let them stay, and he didn’t try and introduce or change things just for the sake of change.
“You might get hit for one over. That’s fine. We’ll carry on. And I think the simplicity of doing that allowed them to be more successful. They always knew that they were the best option for those batters and allowed them to have success. I think when they look back, that’s been a real hallmark of this series. From the first Test, you could see that’s more the Tom Latham style,” he added.
With the series win, India slipped to second in the WTC table, while New Zealand positioned themselves strongly in the fourth spot and are in contention for the final at Lord’s in June 2025.
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