New Zealand will rely on their strengths of reverse bowling to counter the trial by spin that awaits them in the test series in India, said Kiwi star batsman Ross Taylor on Wednesday (September 14).
Last time they hosted a team, India rolled out turning tracks and flexed their spin muscles to crush South Africa 3-0 in the four-test series last year.
Kane Williamson and his men can look forward to a similar treatment in the three-test series beginning in Kanpur on September 22.
However, Taylor said the Kiwi speedsters will look to exploit the abrasive pitch in Kanpur.
“With the abrasive surfaces we are expecting to have reverse swing is going to be a factor and obviously Trent (Boult), Tim (Southee) and Neil (Wagner) are very good exponents of the reverse swing bowl but we’ll just have to wait and see, there is a lot of (unclear), you know, obviously we still got this three-day match to get through. Whatever we are face with in Kanpur, we’ll just have to play accordingly,” Taylor told reporters ahead of their warm up game in New Delhi.
New Zealand also has the troika of spinners — Mark Craig, Mitchell Santner and Indian-born Ish Sodhi — in their arsenal.
Taylor was confident his team was up to the challenge against the world’s second-ranked test team.
“India have just come off a great series victory on some similar surfaces (unclear that spun in the Caribbean. Any time you play against India at home, it’s going to be a challenge, but, at the same time, we’ll need to worry about what we are doing as a team and try to put ourselves in the best preparation mindset technically. ” said Taylor.
The series, which also includes matches in Kolkata and Indore, was to feature the first day-night test in India before the proposal was shelved.
It will also mark the start of a bumper home season for India during which they will play 13 test matches.
India will next host England for five tests before Australia tour the country for four test matches. Bangladesh will also play their maiden test in India next year
