India tour tough, challenging, says NZ coach Stead

NEW ZEALAND coach Gary Stead on Monday (15) said his side faces a hectic schedule although he hopes that the Kiwis do good in the upcoming away series in India kicking off on Wednesday (17).

The Black Caps concluded their impressive run in the T20 World Cup on Sunday (14) by losing the title clash to trans-Tasman rivals Australia in the United Arab Emirates. They will now play India in a three-match T20 international and two-Test series.

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“It’s the first time that I can remember that we’re so quickly into another series immediately at the back end of the T20 World Cup. It’s definitely tough and challenging but it is what is in front of us. We’ve got nine-ten guys in India already who are preparing for those Test matches, and hopefully, we can get up and have a really great performance against India,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Stead, a former Test player, as saying.

Giving a fitness update on pacer Lockie Ferguson, Stead said: “In terms of Lockie, I think he is pretty close. We will just make sure we get over there, travel okay and there are no issues like seizing up on the flight or anything like that. But I’d expect that he's going to be available for selection, which will be fantastic.”

“With all the guys that are going to prepare for the Test matches, we just have to make that call over there -- whether we think it’s in the best interests of them and also in the best interests of the team being that the Test matches are more of our priority, I think, in the next month than what the T20 matches will be,” he added.

New Zealand have played well against India in ICC tournaments but when it comes to playing India in the sub-continent, the Kiwis still have a whole lot to conquer. Apart from winning a two-match T20 series in India in 2012 (one game was abandoned), New Zealand have never been able to defeat India in a series – be it in one-day internationals or Tests. In Tests, they have won only six series against India starting in 1955-56 and all of those wins have come in their home turf.