Kiwis look to get into groove at the Kotla

New Delhi: New Zealand XI will get a first taste of Indian conditions - though not of the low and slow variety — on a greenish looking Kotla track when they take on Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai in their only first class game that gets under way here on Friday.

The Kiwis take on Virat Kohli-led India in the first of three Test  matches at Kanpur from September 22. Though pitches at the Kotla tend not to be too pacy and bouncy, the surface prepared for this game has a fresher look to it than is usual.

And as has been seen in the past, here is life to be found, particularly in the post-tea session of longer games, which will at least give the quicker bowlers on the visiting side a chance to loosen up their shoulders.

For Mumbai, who have often upset the applecart of visiting teams —  most famously against the Australians back in 1998 — it is a good opportunity to test their bench strength.

The Ranji champions are minus Akhil Herwadkar, Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur and Dhawal Kulkarni — all on India ‘A’ duty in Australia — but have been strengthened by the inclusion of Rohit Sharma, who played in the Duleep Trophy final that ended on Wednesday.

And with the Ranji Trophy to be played at neutral venues, it will give Mumbai skipper Aditya Tare the chance to get in some early away practice.

Said Tare, “Past Mumbai teams have done well against visiting teams. We draw inspiration from that. It is a great opportunity for us that we are getting to play a quality Test team at the start of the season.

“The wicket looks nice. It should be a good game,” said the Mumbai skipper.
Leading Kiwi batsman Ross Taylor though, felt the wicket did not look like it would do much but refused to suggest that it had been  deliberately prepared to deny them time on a turning surface.

“It is part and parcel of the way Test cricket is being played. It is no  different when you come to New Zealand. We leave a little more grass on the wicket. I guess that is what home advantage is all about.

“We are expecting pitches to turn over here. We are not expecting them to be like this one here at Kotla.

“It is what we expected to see here. Last two tours, we did not even have a warm up game. So nice to have one this time.

“Even the matches we played here in Delhi during World T20 had more grass than other venues. A warm up game is a warm up game. It is a chance to get out and play in Indian conditions, obviously it is a lot warmer than back home. So it is nice to get out and stretch your legs. We are expecting a tough match against Mumbai,” said Taylor, whose only Test century in India came on the  2012 tour.
Taylor added that the full 15-strong squad would play in the game.

Spinners will be key: Gambhir
Out-of-favour India opener Gautam Gambhir believes spinners will decide the fate of the upcoming three-match Test series between India and New Zealand, starting in Kanpur on September 22.

Warning the home team against taking New Zealand lightly, Gambhir said both India and New Zealand have good spinners in their squad and will be the key to the series.

“New Zealand has always been a very gritty kind of a side. They have always been underdogs, no one rates them very highly but they have always done well in every condition,” Gambhir told reporters.

“They have got a good squad. They have got three spinners (in Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi and Mark Craig) and spinners of whichever sides bowl well it will eventually decide the series,” Gambhir said.

Gambhir scored 320 runs at an average of 80 in the recently-concluded Duleep Trophy as India Blue, under him, stormed to the title. But despite his show with the bat, the selectors once again ignored him when they picked up the 15-member Test squad.

Asked about the snub, the aggressive left-hander curtly said: “I don’t play for selection honestly. Ultimately my job is to score runs and that is what I focus on.