Discipline is second to none: Matt Henry after breathing fire in Bengaluru

Amongst all the things to imagine, visualising India getting all-out for 46 while opting to bat first in a Test in India against New Zealand, where a pacer took 5/15 is as wild as it gets. But thanks to Matt Henry’s brilliant bowling in Bengaluru, the Kiwis aced the conditions on a misty morning in the Deccan plateau.

Henry credited his learning from the opposition’s work ethics where keeping discipline is the main priority while bowling. 

"When you come here, you're watching how the best in the world operate, and usually discipline is second to none,” Henry said in the press conference after Day 2 of the first Test. 

"It may not happen in the first spell or the second spell, but they keep coming back. Watching how they go about their work here, they bring the stumps in play, and they're able to make themselves a threat throughout. 

Coming here, that was something we discussed, was making sure that we are relentless and try to apply as much pressure as long as we can," added the 32-year-old who reached the milestone of 100 Test wickets in only his 26th game. 

Saying that New Zealand were also thinking of batting first, thinking that the wicket was flat by the looks of it, Henry was pleased that their skipper Tom Latham did not win the toss. 

"It was quite nice when those clouds started coming in after the toss was done. There was plenty of assistance this morning, so it was great that we could make the most of it," said the pacer, who is now the second-fastest Kiwi bowler to reach 100 Test wickets after legendary Richard Hadlee.

Henry, who himself took a fine catch which involved running in from fine leg and then diving and grabbing the ball one-handed while on the move, said that the fielders played a great role in the Kiwis restricting India to 46.  

New Zealand are 134 runs ahead with seven wickets in hand. They would look to pile up the lead and then use their spinners Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra to try and build pressure on India in their second innings. 

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