Follow UsNew Zealand suffered a 150-run loss at the hands of Bangladesh in the first Test in Sylhet, and skipper Tim Southee believes that his side did not apply pressure on the opposition for longer periods, which he feels was the reason for his loss.
"I think you look at the way that the Bangladesh bowlers were able to apply pressure for a long period of time. I think we did it in periods, but we probably didn't do it for long enough. And then, as a batting unit, you're always looking at partnerships," Southee said at the post-match press conference.
"I think the Bangladesh bowlers bowled well and were very accurate. And in the way they bowl and the style they bowl, we know that over here in this part of the world, as the Test moves on, it tends to get harder to bat, it tends to take a little bit more turn and a little bit more variable bounce.
"Looking back, you just need a couple of partnerships, and with the ball, we were probably a little bit off in terms of our ability to build pressure for long periods of time."
Southee believes Najmul Hossain Shanto's century in the second innings was a timely one and something that tilted the game in Bangladesh's favour after New Zealand had taken a slender seven-run first-innings lead at the back of Kane Williamson's 29th Test ton.
"I think Shanto's innings was a great innings, and one that obviously a very timely one as well, the situation of the game, so, there's many things you can look back on, and as a side, you're just looking to improve and hopefully, learn from this and move forward in a few days time," he said.
Could New Zealand have counter-attacked the Bangladesh bowlers to put pressure back on them? The Blackcaps skipper reckons every batter has their own way of dealing with pressure situations.
"I think it comes back to the nature of the play. I think Kane Williamson he likes to absorb pressure in different ways to someone like Daryl Mitchell. So I think it's about trusting your own style and the only way you go about it. If you look at Shanto's method, it is different to someone like Mominul's. So, it's about how you go about it and trusting your way."
Southee, however, remains confident that his team can turn it around and put up a better show in the second Test in Dhaka, starting December 6.
"I think you're just looking to keep learning, keep looking to improve your game. We'll look back on this and we'll reflect on the last five days. And we'll pick ourselves up and we'll go again in a few days' time. We know it's a challenging place to play cricket. And I think we just got to be better for longer and in all areas of the game," the New Zealand skipper said.