Former New Zealand opener Mark Richardson believes that the current Black Caps Test team have shown top improvement and a ton of spine, and will have to display it during the ongoing Nagpur Test against India.
"Last night's horrors might have seemed like a return to those days but, this time in India, they've played with great application and surpassed expectations," Rchardson writes in the New Zealand Herald newspaper.
Richardson says that key batsmen Tim MacIntosh, Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson and Jesse Ryder have all shown confidence during the series.
"The batting has been a major plus until last night, but, then again, batting conditions have been very good. Having said that, they still got the runs. More acid tests await in more spritely conditions against quicker bowling but, for now, progress has been made," Richardson says.
"The bowling has been good but that nagging little issue about penetration persists. With the exception of that hour of madness from Chris Martin in test one, enough wickets to win a test in batting conditions still looks a pipe-dream," he adds.
"If this team really want to threaten, they must find a killer punch either with pace or spin," he concludes.
