New Zealand ready for trial by spin in India

New Delhi : So, the New Zealanders are back in India for yet another trial by spin in the upcoming three-Test series, staring with the first match in Kanpur from September 22. As has been the case in their previous series against India in 2012, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, along with Pragyan Ojha, had knocked the daylights out of Kiwi batsmen, sharing 31 of the 40 wickets fallen. Ashwin had been a stand-out performer in that two-Test series, which India won convincingly.
The latest showdown, which will mark the 20th Test series between the two nations, would again be played on spin-heavy tracks, with ample turn and bounce. In their four-Test series against South Africa at home, India had rolled out rank turners, on which, the Proteas batsmen danced to the tune of Ashwin and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja.
Though, the ploy had backfired to some extent for the Indians as well, Ashwin, Jadeja and leggie Amit Mishra, who shared 61 wickets among them in seven innings, ensured that India come out unscathed with a 3-0 verdict.New Zealand, who will be touring India for the 11th time and are yet to open their account in terms of a series win, very well understand that India are going to unleash their battery of “world-class” spinners from the first session of the Test itself.
“We saw during the series against South Africa that spin played a huge part. At times, the batting was very difficult. So, I really have no doubts that it’s going to be challenging. Spin from both teams will play a big part. India will be playing in their home conditions; they will be preparing the pitches, so it remains one of the toughest challenges (to tour India) in the Test format. It (India) has become a tough place to play in more recent years. The pitches in India in the last year or two have been slightly different from perhaps what we have played during the IPL. The pitches have been very tricky,” New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said at his team’s arrival press conference here.