Left-arm off-spinner Akshar Patel admitted that the Indian cricket team will have the home advantage, but can’t take New Zealand lightly in the upcoming two-match Test series later this month.
The spinner has further highlighted New Zealand’s struggle on spin-friendly wickets in India, but it doesn’t offer much help to Team India, as they have been brilliant both in white and red-ball cricket in recent times.
New Zealand defeated India to win the ICC World Test Championship in June 2021. The Kiwis are in India for three T20Is beginning from November 17 and two Tests that begin on Dec 3rd.
Patel told The Hindu: “They (New Zealand) perform better in seaming conditions than in pitches favoring spin. That will be challenging for them; we have the home advantage.”
He further added, “At the same time, they’re playing really well in both red-ball and white-ball formats they defeated us in the World Test Championship final and therefore we can’t take them lightly. We have to be ready with our plans.”
Meanwhile, the 27-year-old spinner was in red-hot form in his debut Test series against England earlier this year, taking a whopping 27 wickets from 3 games, and now he is hoping to carry the same form against New Zealand.
Patel signed off by saying, “I will try to perform as well as I’d done during the Test series at home against England. It will be a good series against New Zealand.”
Noteworthy, the three-match T20I series between India and New Zealand will be played in Jaipur, Ranchi, and Kolkata on November 17, 19, and 21 followed by the two Tests in Kanpur and Mumbai on November 25 and December 3, respectively.
India will be led by Ajinkya Rahane in the first Test as Virat Kohli has ben rested and will return to lead the team in the second and final Test against New Zealand.
