A fanatical welcome greeted the BLACKCAPS as they landed at Ahmadabad airport late Saturday night Indian time.
After clearing customs and collecting large quantities of luggage the team progressed through the terminal where thousands of Ahmadabad locals formed a guard of honour.
Young BLACKCAP top order batsman BJ Watling said he was overwhelmed by the number of people who had ventured out late in the evening to catch a glimpse of the team arriving.
“It was quite something, there was a sea of faces that seemed to go on for miles,” Watling said. “There were people pressed up against the glass and pretty much all the way to the hotel.”
Touring cricket obsessed India is both a highlight and challenge for any international cricketer, especially when they are at the top of their game.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to play in a country so mad about cricket.
“We have talked as a team about how defining this tour can be and all the guys are up for it. It showed in our training session today.
“The quicks were charging in and batsmen didn’t want to stop. Despite our poor showing in Bangladesh the team are fizzing and personally I can’t wait for the Test.
“We have an opportunity to put the results on Bangladesh behind us and to prove that we are up there with the best in the world.
“I don’t think it gets better that this,” Watling added.
The team have three more training sessions at Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad before the first Test on Thursday 4 November.
