“Particularly Kohli looked a bit unsettled” - Neil Wagner’s massive revelation of bouncer tactics in epic NZ vs IND 2014 Test

Former New Zealand pacer Neil Wagner opened up about how he used the short-ball tactic against Indian batters during a home Test in 2014. It was the first Test of the series at Eden Park in Auckland, where Wagner troubled the likes of Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, and MS Dhoni with his short balls.

New Zealand had set India a target of 407 in the final innings. Dhawan and Kohli had built a brilliant partnership for the third wicket, and the visitors were cruising at one stage.

Neil Wagner recalled how they effectively used the short-ball tactics to try and break through. He first dismissed Kohli on 67 with a side and short delivery that the right-hander tried to pull, only to get a bottom edge.

"This Test match I remember the wicket being quite flat but there was a bit of pace and bounce. Eden Park is quite small straight but the square boundaries there are pockets that are helpful. I remember bowling a couple of bouncers and how they played it and particularly Kohli looked a bit unsettled. He didn't know if he should take it on or not and how to play," he said on the Red Inker Cricket Podcast. (49:31)

"The idea was trying to go cross and outside eyeline. He (Kohli) tried to pull it in front of square because there's protection out. Him trying to pull it in front of square, he just got a toe end on it and it carried through to BJ Watling. He got a bottom edge on it and it created a bit of a mode," he added.

Kohli's dismissal created an opening for the hosts, and Neil Wagner soon sent back a well-set Shikhar Dhawan. India were five down for 268, and New Zealand continued chipping away from there on. The visitors got close but were eventually bundled out for 366 as the Kiwis won by 40 runs.

---

Neil Wagner recalls getting the better of Shikhar Dhawan and MS Dhoni with the bouncer tactics

Neil Wagner played a massive role for New Zealand in India's second innings. After dismissing Kohli, he sent back Dhawan, who had scored a hundred and looked confident.

He came around the wicket to the left-hander and produced a bouncer that left the batter in splits. Dhawan (115 off 211) could not leave the ball and ended up gloving it to Watling behind the stumps. It was a huge blow for India.

The job was not done yet, as then-India captain MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja stitched a crucial partnership. It looked as though the two would take the visitors over the line. However, Neil Wagner tricked Dhoni with a slower bouncer and sent him back on 39 off 41 deliveries.

"Then Dhoni and Jadeja looked like they were going to chase it down and play a phenomenal innings. Dhoni didn't look like it was bothering him too much. It was all about taking the positive and aggressive option for us and not being fearful at all. I was like I am going to bowl a slower ball bouncer to Dhoni. I did it and he chopped it on and I was amazed by it. The confidence that I got from that and backing your gut feeling, made me feel like getting some confidence and some self-belief," he said.

The left-arm pacer ended with figures of 4/62 from 25 overs as New Zealand pulled off a stunning win. With four wickets in the first innings as well, Wagner finished with eight scalps in the Test in a magnificent outing.