The New Zealand team administration has received a pat on the back from the Kiwi media for their bold team selection in the opening match of the World T20 opening match against India on Tuesday.
India have built a reputation as excellent players of spin thanks to their nimble footwork and supple wrists but a gamble taken by New Zealand captain Kane Williamson was all that was needed to puncture that aura in their World Twenty20 opener.
Nagpur's VCA Stadium pitch had been rated as "poor" in December after spinners claimed 33 of the 40 wickets to fall inside three days when India beat South Africa by 124 runs in a Test match between the sides.
On Tuesday, the same strip promised enough turn to convince Williamson to sacrifice speed and arm his attack with three specialist spinners for the Super 10 stage contest against an Indian team famed for their proficiency against spin bowling.
The gamble paid off, and handsomely.
"What a twist", trumpeted Fairfax NZ's stuff.co.nz website after New Zealand's unheralded spinners tweaked the Black Caps to a 47-run victory over the hosts in Nagpur.
"Selection masterstroke turns the cricket world on its head, as NZ spinners slay India," it added, referring to coach Mike Hesson's decision to opt for a three-pronged spin attack and omit seamers Trent Boult and Tim Southee.
"India, the world number one ranked T20 side and tournament favourites, were undone at their own game in their own conditions," the site said, pointing out New Zealand had now won their past five T20 matches against India.
- Dhoni finds his excuse: 'Challenge to score runs on such tracks'
New Zealand’s slow bowlers -- Mitchell Santner, Nathan McCullum and Ish Sodhi -- took nine wickets, including four for 11 from man-of-the match Mitchell Santner, on a dustbowl, offering prodigious turn as India were dismissed for just 79 runs in pursuit of 127.
This was only the third occasion in the short history of Twenty20 Internationals that spinners have claimed nine wickets and it came against opponents who have never lost more than five to the slow bowlers.
The 47-run defeat not only dented skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his team's title credentials but also raised questions about their ability to play spin.
"This has been a exhibition on how not to play spin by the so called best players of spin in the world," former England captain Michael Vaughan tweeted.
Like many, Vaughan had not seen any real weakness in the current Indian side but went on to add: "Forgot to say... Only Weakness is preparing a pitch like yesterday."
The New Zealand Herald declared it the best possible start to the tournament for the Black Caps, who face Australia on Friday.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell said the tactic was reminiscent of the recently deceased New Zealand great Martin Crowe's decision to open with spin at the 1992 World Cup, when the Black Caps made the semi-finals.
"Martin Crowe was way ahead of himself back in 1992 when he introduced it with Dipak Patel," Chappell told Cricinfo.
"(He) had a lot of success... after what we have seen tonight there will be more teams adapting that tactic."
Former New Zealand paceman Simon Doull said India came unstuck by using home advantage to prepare a spin-friendly wicket, rather than trusting in the quality of their batsmen.
"It doesn't happen very often like that, that India get spun out," he told Radio Sport.
"I think India have a terrific side, they just need to play on good surfaces because their batting is so good. They don't need to make pitches like this."
West Indies legend Brian Lara said defeat meant the hosts were unlikely to prepare such a "disappointing" wicket again, adding: "This could be the early lesson India needed to go all the way."
England all-rounder Ben Stokes joked that he had not seen such a poor quality deck since he was a schoolboy growing up in his native New Zealand.
"The astro-turf pitch with cigarette burns on a length at my old school was a better than that wicket," he tweeted.
India will be quickly looking to make amends for the shock loss when they take on fierce rivals Pakistan in their next Super 10 contest at Kolkata's EdenGardens on Saturday.
