We Have The Team To Beat New Zealand In Its Backyard: Arun

India’s bowling coach aware of dynamics ofWwindy Wellington and Basin Reserve as the players gear up for the Test series beginning on Feb. 21

- S. Dinakar

INDIA IN NZ

The big white sheets covered the pitch and the square, soaking up the water. It rained here on Tuesday forcing the Indians to cancel their practice session.

Indeed, the picturesque Basin Reserve ground, the soul of New Zealand cricket, wore a forlorn look with just two more days to go before the first Test gets underway here on Friday.

Although the surface for the game was not in view, locals said there was a fair amount of grass under the covers. The conditions should favor the seamers here.

Showers forecast

While showers have been forecast for the first two days of the Test, the weather should be fine for the last three.

The pitch could also be seamer-friendly in the first two to three days and then flatten out.

The Indians discovered this the hard way on their last Test tour here when Brendon McCullum’s history-making triple hundred, backed up by centuries from B-J. Watling and Jimmy Neesham enabled New Zealand to script a great escape.