Will Young Reflects on a Dream Come True Series

Will Young basks in the happiness and achievement of New Zealand's 3-0 series win against India

A 24-Hour Retrospect

Less than a day has passed since Will Young claimed the Player of the Series award in New Zealand's historic victory in India. The morning after is bright and sunny in Mumbai, but Young is still taking it all in, reflecting on their extraordinary achievement.

Replicating Celebrations

In a week, New Zealand has repeated their Pune celebrations in Mumbai as well. Young describes the joy of their team's camaraderie, saying, "When we get back to the hotel, we've been superbly looked after in all the hotels we've stayed at. They put us up in a team room and we sit around and we're still wearing our whites and our baggy black caps. And yeah, just celebrations continue into the night."

Tough Surface, Steady Response

Young's balls-faced tally of 460 towers over the next-best in the series, a testament to his defensive prowess on challenging surfaces. He acknowledges the challenge, saying, "I remember the first innings in Bengaluru, I was batting at No. 3, and I managed to stay there till the end of the day. It was a great learning experience for me."

Preparation and Groundwork

Young has been preparing for subcontinent tours since 2017, fine-tuning his skills in various camps and 'A' tours. He reveals, "I've got to prepare to bat anywhere in the top five, whether it be opening the batting or being down at five or six perhaps. I've just come to be at peace with that and to prepare myself for whenever that opportunity may arise."

The Will to Improve

Glenn Pocknall, the coach at Central Districts, offers insight into Young's work ethic, saying, "Will regularly worked on his defensive stride and bat face during our practice sessions." Young adds, "It's actually really difficult in New Zealand to emulate exactly what the Indian bowlers are going to be like or Sri Lankan or the subcontinent wicket. We try our best and different groundsmen have different techniques."

The Grind to Success

Before the series, Young was not even a part of the first eleven, but he continued to grind and prepare. He reflects, "It's a love for the game and a love for representing New Zealand and a love for batting that keeps me going."