New Zealand is a frontier which most teams have not conquered: Sanjay Bangar

A pace bowling all-rounder is critical to India having a good New Zealand series

New Zealand has proved to be a formidable opponent for India in Test matches. They have beaten India in six of the last eight Tests between the two countries including the World Test Championship final of 2021. They whitewashed India in India in the 2024 three-Test series. The last time the two sides met in New Zealand (2019/20), the home side won both Test matches.

File image of Sanjay Bangar. (Getty Images)

India tours New Zealand again this month for a long limited overs series followed by two Test matches -- India's second last series in the WTC -- and expectedly there’s extra interest surrounding the series.

Speaking on the sidelines of the reopening of the Spin & Swing Cricket Academy at the Matunga Gymkhana on Thursday, former India assistant coach Sanjay Bangar shared his views on the challenges for the Shubman Gill-led Test team on the upcoming tour.

Bangar played in New Zealand during the 2002-03 Test and ODI series and later coached during the 2015 (ODI World Cup) and 2019 (limited overs series). Excerpts from the chat:

What do you make of the upcoming series against New Zealand?

We have two Test matches against New Zealand and five against Australia. India has done well overseas, even in England, Australia and South Africa but New Zealand has been a frontier which most teams have not conquered. So, I think that is going to be a motivating factor for this group of players.

What is it about New Zealand that the Indian team finds tough?

The thing is that generally they play to the dimensions really well, that is No. 1. No. 2, the wickets out there, they sort of take the spinners out of the equation. So, whether India will be having a combination wherein to take 20 wickets and having that seam bowling allrounder, that generally becomes the critical part. And if India's batting does click in the first innings of both these Test matches, then there is a possibility (of doing well). These factors are important for any travelling team in New Zealand to do well. Basically, score well and have a pace bowling attack which can take the majority of the wickets.

The wickets in NZ will benefit Bumrah and Siraj if they perform well...

I think the support bowlers will also be critical because if Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep play that leaves the lower order a little bit thin. But I think if those four bowlers play together, India has the resources to bowl New Zealand out twice. I think the bowling depth is there. It all depends on whether everybody remains fit. The good part is that (Jasprit) Bumrah’s workload has been managed quite well leading into this series, which is the most important series if India has to qualify (for the WTC final). Because you would expect India to do well in the home series against Australia. But if India does not have a good and a successful New Zealand series, then that generally will mean that India may very well be out of the contention (in the WTC).

Batting in NZ conditions is always a challenge. KL Rahul is there but overall India’s batting line-up is relatively inexperienced, how do you look at our batting line-up?

I think it settled down quite well. If you think once Rohit (Sharma) and Virat (Kohli) were not part of the scheme of things, it took some time which was quite understandable. But now you have Devdutt Padikkal amongst the runs batting at 3, Shubman Gill is doing really well. Dhruv Jurel has been a good addition and he has batted well even as a specialist batter.

So, I think if you look at the 6 batters that might play, they do seem to have the experience of performing well in all conditions and add to that if (Ravindra) Jadeja plays at 7 and then you follow it up with 4 fast bowlers or whether they play 3 fast bowlers and 1 pace bowling all-rounder. So, I think that is the most critical part. That number 7 and 8 spot and more so the pace bowling all-rounder becomes critical to India having a good New Zealand series.

From the ODI World Cup point of view, in terms of preparation how important is this series going to be?

I don't think it's too much importance attached to the New Zealand series versus what is going to happen in South Africa (in the ODI World Cup). But it is a lead-up to it. It's a quite gradual build-up. If Shreyas(Iyer) is fit and he gets back at number 4, then India has a very settled one-day team. Again, the bowlers especially who are challenging for those spots, they will be looked at into how consistently they can deliver.

So, along with Bumrah who are the bowlers who are being identified for the World Cup and how they fare well from here on is going to be one thing which selectors as well as the team management will have a closer eye on.