IND v NZ: Looking forward to the spin challenge in Tests – Santner
New Zealand left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and his spin colleagues are eagerly waiting to bowl on friendly tracks in the Test series against India.
โHopefully the boys are ready for the first Test in Kanpur. Itโs a quick turnaround again. We have some good spinners, we know spin will play a big part. Itโs about just trying to grind out as much as possible,โ Santner said at a virtual press conference after Indiaโs 3-0 series win in the T20I series.
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โWeโve seen how good Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar Patel can be in these conditions. Weโve got guys like Ajaz (Patel) and (Willliam) Somerville who are pretty eager to see some spinning wickets.โ
โTough challengeโ
Santner is well aware of the tough challenges in India as he was quick to recall New Zealandโs 2016-17 tour when it suffered a 3-0 thrashing in Tests beginning with the Kanpur Test. It later went on to lose the five-match ODI series 3-2.
โIt doesnโt matter what format you come up against India, theyโre a tough challenge to beat. We saw that in 2016.โ
Santner stood in as captain in the third and final T20 of the series here at Eden Gardens on Sunday. โItโs been a quick turnaround from the World Cup. But we pride ourselves on turning up and play some good cricket against a very good Indian side and win a series.
โGood in patchesโ
โItโs tough to do and they showed once again that itโs a tough challenge to come to India and play a really good side. We were good in patches.โ
Opting to bat, Rohit Sharma struck 56 off 31 balls, his third successive half-century. He was adjudged man-of-the-series for being the top run-getter. โThe challenge for us was to get wickets at the top and we couldnโt throughout the series. But credit [to them] the way Rohit and K. L. batted at the top.
โWe had our chances, but the conditions changed in every game and dew played a major factor. And then again tonight (Sunday), it was there, but it didnโt get any worse. We were outdone this series but weโre looking forward to the 12 months towards the next World Cup,โ he signed off.