The BLACKCAPS are making their final preparations before the first Test against India in Kanpur. Coach Mike Hesson believes his side have had a solid build up in Indian conditions.
“I think like the international schedule allows, this is actually quite a good buildup, for us to be able to play a full three-day warm up game, and in Delhi to have two, three days training and a couple here is probably as good as you get for any tour.”
India have a dominant record in their own conditions, however Hesson believes his side have every chance of being competitive.
“The home nations no matter where they are in the world tend to win, because they know those conditions in which they play in. Whenever you are able to compete overseas and indeed win it’s a big event, it doesn’t matter who you are.”
After experiencing a slightly different pitch during their three-day warmup match in New Delhi, the BLACKCAPS are ready to experience a more traditional Indian surface during the first Test in Kanpur.
“You need to adapt to whatever you’re confronted with; we’ve got an idea to how the surface might play but it might be quite different, we are able to adapt.”
Of course it is not only the pitch’s that makes India a tough place to tour, but the climate provides a challenge in itself. After a cool New Zealand winter, the BLACKCAPS experienced a bit of heat in Africa, but the Indian conditions are on a different level.
“It was hot in Delhi, it was humid, today at times was as hot as Delhi, maybe slightly hotter. We are not expecting cool breeze to come over the ground anytime soon. We’ll just have to cope the best as we can.”
Indian conditions often favor spinners and the BLACKCAPS slower bowlers are working hard to be ready for potential opportunities. There are three specialist spinners in the Test squad, Mark Craig, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi.
“I think ours are talented spinners. They don’t have as much experience but sometimes that’s a good thing as you don’t have a lot of fear.”
For Sodhi and Santner Indian conditions shouldn’t be too foreign, after their star performances during the Twenty20 World Cup earlier this year.
“We saw the way our boys operated in the World Twenty20 that we’re able to bowl on wickets that turn as well. If there’s assistance for the spinners, then we can create opportunities.”
“Our three spinners have spent a lot of time talking and making little subtle adjustments to be as effective as we can in these conditions.”
The first Test between the BLACKCAPS and India starts on Thursday at 4pm (NZT). The match will be live on Sky Sport and live scored at blackcaps.co.nz
