IND vs NZ | Character of pitches in New Zealand has changed, reveals Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar believed that the pitches in New Zealand have become more batsman-friendly over the years and that India does have the firepower to trouble the Black Caps in their own den. India will play five T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests and the tour begins with T20I series starting January 24.
India are set to begin their tour of New Zealand starting with the T20I series from January 24. But the real test has always been the longest format of the game and skipper Virat Kohli has always expressed his desire to go away from home and win Test series. After winning their maiden Test series in Australia, India have a chance to beat the Kiwis in their own den. This is because Sachin Tendulkar believed that the pitches in New Zealand have changed and are now good for stroke-making, something that will work in India's favour.
"Of late, the Tests in New Zealand have been high scoring and surfaces have changed," Tendulkar told TOI.
Tendulkar has said this with personal experience as he was a part of the team that played on green tops in 2002 and were absolutely annihilated by New Zealand. But he was also a part of the 2009 series that India won which was only their second Test series win in New Zealand for 32 years.
"I remember when we played in 2009, the Hamilton pitch was different compared to other pitches. Other pitches got harder (Wellington and Napier) but not Hamilton. It remained soft," Tendulkar asserted.
"But Napier became hard with passage of time (where Gautam Gambhir scored an epic match-saving 12-hour hundred in 2009). So, from my first tour (in 1990 till 2009), I realised pitches got harder with passage of time," he added.
India's pace attack has caused problems for batsmen all around the globe in the past couple of years and Tendulkar expects nothing different when they hit the New Zealand shores.
"We have a good bowling attack with quality fast bowlers as well as spinners. I believe we have the ammunition to compete in New Zealand," Tendulkar concluded.
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