India vs New Zealand: We’ve some good bowlers, look forward to spin challenge in Tests, says Santner

After
making
an
early
exit
from
the
T20
World
Cup,
India
whitewashed
New
Zealand
in
the
three-match
series.

Playing
the
bilateral
series
three
days
after
their
T20
World
Cup
final
defeat,
New
Zealand
rested
some
of
their
key
players,
including
skipper
Kane
Williamson.

The
World
Test
champions
are
now
gearing
up
for
the
two-Test
series,
beginning
November
25.

“Hopefully
the
boys
are
ready
for
the
first
Test
in
Kanpur.
It’s
a
quick
turnaround
again.
We
have
some
good
spinners,
we
know
spin
will
play
a
big
part.
It’s
about
just
trying
to
grind
out
as
much
as
possible,”
Santner
said
at
a
virtual
media
interaction
on
Sunday
(November
21)
night.

India
vs
New
Zealand
T20
Series
2021:
Full
List
of
Award
Winners,
Player
of
The
Series,
Records
and
Statistics

“We’ve
seen
how
good
Ashwin,
Jadeja
and
Axar
Patel
can
be
in
these
conditions.
We’ve
got
guys
like
Ajaz
(Patel)
and
(Willliam)
Somerville
who
are
pretty
eager
to
see
some
spinning
wickets.”

Santner
is
well
aware
of
the
tough
challenges
in
India
as
he
was
quick
to
recall
their
2016-17
tour
when
they
suffered
a
0-3
thrashing
in
Tests
beginning
with
the
Kanpur
Test.
They
later
went
on
to
lose
the
five-match
ODI
series
2-3.

“It
doesn’t
matter
what
format
you
come
up
against
India,
they’re
a
tough
challenge
to
beat.
We
saw
that
in
2016.”

Santner
stood
in
as
captain
in
the
third
and
final
T20
of
the
series
here
at
Eden
Gardens
on
Sunday
as
they
were
bowled
out
for
111
in
their
chase
of
185.

“It’s
been
a
quick
turnaround
from
the
World
Cup.
But
we
pride
ourselves
on
turning
up
and
play
some
good
cricket
against
a
very
good
Indian
side
and
win
a
series.

“It’s
tough
to
do
and
they
showed
once
again
that
it’s
a
tough
challenge
to
come
to
India
and
play
a
really
good
side.
We
were
good
in
patches.”

Opting
to
bat,
Rohit
Sharma
struck
56
off
31
balls,
his
third
successive
half-century.
He
was
adjudged
man-of-the-series
for
being
the
top
run-getter.

India
vs
New
Zealand:
Venkatesh
Iyer’s
bowling
important
going
forward,
says
Rohit
Sharma

His
vice-captain
and
opening
partner
KL
Rahul
also
scored
a
half-century
as
the
duo
put
up
a
century-plus
stand
in
the
second
T20.
Rahul
was
rested
for
the
final
match.

“The
challenge
for
us
was
to
get
wickets
at
the
top
and
we
couldn’t
throughout
the
series.
But
credit
the
way
Rohit
and
KL
batted
at
the
top.

“We
had
our
chances,
but
the
conditions
changed
in
every
game
and
dew
played
a
major
factor.
And
then
again
tonight
(Sunday),
it
was
there,
but
it
didn’t
get
any
worse.

“We
were
outdone
this
series
but
we’re
looking
forward
to
the
12
months
towards
the
next
World
Cup,”
he
signed
off.