India will need more than their reputation to get the better of New Zealand on their home turf, former head coach Ravi Shastri said on Wednesday, urging the visitors to absorb the pressure and put it right back on the hosts from the opening T20I on Thursday. The five-match T20I series will run till November 1, before the five-match ODI series takes centre stage in terms of preparation for the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup. It will be followed by a two-match Test series in Wellington and Christchurch from November 19 to December 1. Apart from this, India A are also touring New Zealand for three red-ball matches, starting on October 24 in Lincoln.
“New Zealand will come hard at India. They know their conditions, they do their homework and they make you earn every win. India have the firepower, but reputation won’t win them this series.
“They have to get out there, absorb the pressure and put it straight back on New Zealand. That is what I’ll be watching for from the first T20I on October 22,” Shastri said in a statement issued by broadcasters Sony Sports Network on Wednesday.
Former India Test captain Ajinkya Rahane looked ahead to the Test leg of the tour, saying wins in both matches would be key to India’s hopes of reaching the 2027 World Test Championship (WTC) final, to be held at The Oval from June 9-13.
He also welcomed the return of veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the squad.
“India’s tour of New Zealand is a crucial one, with so many aspects to look forward to. New Zealand conditions provide a very different challenge in Test cricket and the Indian batters will be tested. Winning the two Tests will be crucial to staying in contention for a spot in the 2027 World Test Championship (WTC) Final.
“I’m really happy to see Bhuvneshwar Kumar back in the squad; his experience will come in handy in the T20Is. Overall, it’s going to be a tough tour with back-to-back games, which will test the bench strength too. I would advise the team not to think too far ahead, but to focus on each match and stick to their plans,” he said.
Off-spin great Ravichandran Ashwin described a trip to New Zealand as one of the sternest tests in world cricket.
“A tour of New Zealand is one of the most demanding assignments in world cricket because it constantly tests a team’s ability to adapt.
“Every format presents a different challenge, whether it’s reading conditions in T20Is, building momentum in ODIs or showing patience and discipline in Test cricket. India have the quality to compete across formats, and I’m looking forward to analysing what promises to be a fascinating series,” he said.
Ashwin will be part of the English, Hindi and Tamil coverage during the T20Is, while Rahane joins the Hindi line-up for all three formats and Shastri will be part of the English line-up for the white-ball matches.
Former New Zealand players Stephen Fleming (T20Is only), Tim Southee, Simon Doull, Shane Bond and Ian Smith will add their knowledge of home conditions and the opposition during various phases of the multi-format series.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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