India said there was no need to panic on Friday ahead of the second Test against New Zealand, insisting this week's 10-wicket defeat had helped them open a "closed mindset".
New Zealand quick Trent Boult indicated the odds are stacked against India at Hagley Park in Christchurch, rating it as better for the bowlers than Wellington's Basin Reserve, the venue for the first Test.
But India coach Ravi Shastri said their heavy defeat, which ended an unbeaten streak stretching back more than a year, was an important learning experience for his team.
"A shake-up like that is good because it opens your mindset," Shastri said on Friday, a day before the second and final Test.
"When you're on the road winning all the time, you've not tasted defeat, you can have a closed mindset," he added.
"Once you've seen what has happened there are opportunities to learn. You know what strategies New Zealand mentally are employing and you are prepared.
"We've had a great run in the Test arena. We've played eight and won seven and so one loss there's absolutely no need to panic."
In six Tests at Hagley Oval, New Zealand are unbeaten against South Asian sides having won against Sri Lanka (twice), Pakistan and Bangladesh, while they have lost once to Australia and drawn with England.
On the eve of the latest Test the pitch was again emerald green with a cloud cover that was forecast to stay around for a few days.
"Its pretty exciting," Boult said after surveying the wicket.
"I wouldn't say the confidence is through the roof but we're very excited about continuing where we left off.
"I like the overheads that present down here in terms of the cloud cover and the swing that's on offer. From my point of view I hope it stays that way and we get it to move around a bit."
The New Zealand attack has been reinforced by the return of short-ball maestro Neil Wagner, who was unavailable for the first Test, leaving coach Gary Stead to decide whether to drop tall medium-pacer Kyle Jamieson, who shone on debut in Wellington, or spinner Ajaz Patel.
While Hagley is pace friendly, the only time New Zealand has not played a spinner at the venue was when they lost to Australia.
"Whoever we go with we need to put in a performance like we did (in Wellington) because India will get better," Stead said as he delayed naming his side.
Shastri was weighing up which spinner to play -- either Ravi Ashwin, who took three for 99 in Wellington, or Ravindra Jadeja -- while confirming opener Prithvi Shaw was available to play after a foot injury.
UK life sciences sector contributed £17.6bn GVA in 2021 and supports 126,000 high-skilled jobs.
Inward life sciences FDI fell by 58 per cent from £1,897m in 2021 to £795m in 2023.
Experts warn NHS underinvestment and NICE pricing rules are deterring innovation and patient access.
Investment gap
Britain is seeking to attract new pharmaceutical investment as part of its plan to strengthen the life sciences sector, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during meetings in Washington this week. “We do need to make sure that we are an attractive place for pharmaceuticals, and that includes on pricing, but in return for that, we want to see more investment flow to Britain,” Reeves told reporters.
Recent ABPI report, ‘Creating the conditions for investment and growth’, The UK’s pharmaceutical industry is integral to both the country’s health and growth missions, contributing £17.6 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) annually and supporting 126,000 high-skilled jobs across the nation. It also invests more in research and development (R&D) than any other sector. Yet inward life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 58per cent, from £1,897 million in 2021 to £795 million in 2023, while pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK lagged behind global growth trends, costing an estimated £1.3 billion in lost investment in 2023 alone.
Richard Torbett, ABPI Chief Executive, noted “The UK can lead globally in medicines and vaccines, unlocking billions in R&D investment and improving patient access but only if barriers are removed and innovation rewarded.”
The UK invests just 9% of healthcare spending in medicines, compared with 17% in Spain, and only 37% of new medicines are made fully available for their licensed indications, compared to 90% in Germany.
Expert reviews
Shailesh Solanki, executive editor of Pharmacy Business, pointed that “The government’s own review shows the sector is underfunded by about £2 billion per year. To make transformation a reality, this gap must be closed with clear plans for investment in people, premises and technology.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold £20,000 to £30,000 per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) — has remained unchanged for over two decades, delaying or deterring new medicine launches. Raising it is viewed as vital to attracting foreign investment, expanding patient access, and maintaining the UK’s global standing in life sciences.
Guy Oliver, General Manager for Bristol Myers Squibb UK and Ireland, noted that " the current VPAG rate is leaving UK patients behind other countries, forcing cuts to NHS partnerships, clinical trials, and workforce despite government growth ambitions".
Reeves’ push for reform, supported by the ABPI’s Competitiveness Framework, underlines Britain’s intent to stay a leading hub for pharmaceutical innovation while ensuring NHS patients will gain faster access to new treatments.
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