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Former New Zealand opening batter Martin Guptill has cautioned his former side about the formidable challenges they will face during their upcoming tour of India for a three-match Test series. In a recent interview, Guptill emphasized the difficulty of beating India on their home ground.
The two teams, who previously contested the inaugural World Test Championship final, will once again clash in a series starting October 16 in Bengaluru.
Martin Guptill highlights challenges of Indian pitches
Guptill, reflecting on his own experiences playing in Indian conditions, highlighted the unique challenges posed by the pitches.
“You feel like you can never score sometimes,” he shared to Press Trust of India (PTI), describing the unpredictable nature of Indian pitches. “The ball’s turning square, then the same sort of ball comes through and it skids on straight.”
Guptill also stressed the importance of mental toughness and staying ahead of the bowlers. “You never know which one’s going to turn and which one’s going to go straight, so you have to always be thinking,” he commented.
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“It’s a tough place to play”: Guptill
The former opener acknowledged the dominance of the Indian team at home, winning their last 17 series. “To try and get on top of India is extremely difficult,” he said. “But when you feel like you are, you have to try and take that as long as possible in the game.”
Guptill warned that the Indian tour would test the New Zealand players both physically and mentally. He also emphasized the need to capitalize on any advantage they could gain.
“It’s a tough place to play,” he added. “It’s hot, sweaty, and you feel like everything’s against you.”
Even if New Zealand managed to put India under pressure, Guptill highlighted the threat posed by Ravichandrin Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. “Both of them. I mean, you can’t take away that Jadeja scored 86, 89 or something [against Bangladesh in Chennai Test], wasn’t it?” he said.
India’s recent Test match against Bangladesh showcased the effectiveness of Ashwin and Jadeja, who combined for a 199-run partnership in the first innings. “While Jadeja is probably the better batter, I mean, Ashwin goes about his work in a completely different way and is very effective in the way he scores his runs,” Guptill added further.
