Mitchell Santner prepares New Zealand for India cricket tour

New Zealand white-ball captain Mitchell Santner has addressed the upcoming cricket tour of India, which is scheduled to begin on October 22. The tour will consist of five T20Is, five ODIs, and two World Test Championship matches.

Santner suggested that India may be motivated to seek redemption following previous losses to New Zealand, including a 0-3 Test series defeat at home in 2024 and a 1-2 ODI series loss earlier this year. He noted that New Zealand's experience playing in diverse overseas conditions has improved the team's ability to compete.

Regarding the T20I series, Santner highlighted the challenge of facing India's aggressive batting lineup, specifically mentioning players such as Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He emphasized that New Zealand bowlers must remain adaptable, utilizing ball movement to counter explosive batting or using boundary dimensions to create pressure on flatter pitches.