Glenn Turner: Expect Indian pacers to perform better than what they've done

Former New Zealand skipper Glenn Turner is quite surprised that his country has its "nose ahe" in ongoing bilateral series against India and reason, according to him, is underwhelming performance of Jasprit Bumrah-led visiting pacers.  However, Turner expects Bumrah and Mohammed Shami to lift ir game in upcoming two-Test series, which begins on February 21. After winning five match T20 series 5-0, India lost ODI series 0-3 failing to defend 347 in one game and nearly 300 (296) in final match.

"I have no time at all for T20 cricket. It's a blot on game. 50-over cricket, you can have a game. Technically, I felt bowling from both sides have been way below than what I h expected at international levels in both formats," Turner told PTI in an exclusive interview.

Turner believes Bumrah and Shami's ability to swing ball will work to India's vantage during Test series.  "At moment, New Zealand have ir nose ahe but I have been rar surprised, that has been case. India have shown in three-match series y have several whats and I am surprised that y have not performed better than y have," he said.  Turner feels India's problem in Tests could be excessive white ball cricket y have played.

"Shami has shown he is a talent and has great stamina. It's almost in my mind, once Test matches start, ory of how you should bowl under certain circumstances in limited overs cricket tends to be sidelined. That being case, I would expect Indian bowling to be better than what we have seen," opined former New Zealand skipper.

Bumrah is coming back from an injury and Turner hoped that spearhe will have capacity to bowl 25 overs in a red-ball game. "....he has got natural talent despite being unorthodox in his bowling action. He tends to come off pitch quicker than you would expect and has accuracy. "He has h a good warm-up bowling 10 overs in ODIs but n limited overs doesn't help in building stamina for bowling 25 overs a day," he explained.

As discussion turned towards New Zealand cricket, Turner said that Kane Williamson's "orthodox" approach in leership and his ability to look at bigger picture has provided stability that team needs. 72-year-old, one of most graceful batsmen of 1970s, feels that Brendon McCullum as a leer wasn't "international standard" while Stephen Fleming's tenure saw players becoming more powerful which h its pros and cons. "When Kane came along, I saw him as more orthodox in his approach. I have always liked his approach to game, quite a stable individual and I think he has ability to look at bigger picture under pressure," he said. 

About Fleming, who captained New Zealand for a dece, Turner said he did some good things but also h a negative impact.

"...that was time when player power took over. My only criticism I have of Fleming is that because of him, likes of Kane were able to get what y wanted which was (at times) good for m rar than being good for whole. Barring that Fleming was solid in what he did," felt Turner, who played 41 Tests.

While McCullum's exciting brand of cricket earned him many fans, Turner found his captaincy a touch over-rated.

"McCullum, to me, was not up to international standards as a captain. I felt his decision-making during England series (2015) was woefully inequate. I felt he gave it away although it takes more than one person to spoil it," said Turner, who is known to be sharp in his views.

While his take on captaincy was clear, Turner didn't want to get into who is greatest Black Caps Test batsman. "It's a fruitless exercise to try and compare people of different eras as re are different parameters to be looked at. "For example, South Africa (with bowlers like Mike Proctor, Clive Rice and Garth Le Roux) were not a Test-playing nation when I was playing. Also neir Banglesh was re nor Zimbabwe," said Turner, who scored more than 34,000 runs in first-class cricket in 453 games with 103 hundreds. New Zealand cricketers have been known for being gentlemen on field but Turner is a bit amused by image. "...because assumption that is being me is that you have to be ugly on field of play in order to be giving your best. In or words hate for your opponents is considered to be more performance enhancing. I find that to be ridiculous," he signed off.