New Zealand may play three spinners in first Test, hints coach Gary Stead

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead has said that New Zealand may play three spinners in the first Test against India set to get underway from November 25 in Kanpur. The coach is also expecting better wickets for the series than what for there in India's previous home series against England. The surfaces in the series were ranked turned which helped India make easy work of England after which the team was criticized for taking too much home advantage.

“You have to look and realise how teams come here often and don’t win. That’s the enormity of obvious challenge,” Stead said during a media conference outlining what playing Test matches in India mean.

“The traditional way of playing four seamers and one part-time spinner can’t be the way to go over here. You may see three spinners playing in this game and that will be decided once we have a look at the surface,” Stead said while making it clear that Mumbai-born left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel looks like a sure-shot starter.

Stead added that they will tweak their game plans as per the conditions but will stick to the key principles of Test cricket, adding that they will try to be as competitive as they can.

“From our perspective, we have to change the way we play but also stick to some of the key principles of Test cricket. We will try to be competitive for long long periods of time.”

He said the wickets in the series will be better than England series as in the previous multiple matches were played at the same venue. “I don’t think I really get to have a say in that.”

Stead added that adapting to the conditions as quickly as possible will be key to New Zealand's success in the series.

“Look, there’s no doubt those were challenging conditions but difference is that we have two Tests at two different venues and they (England) were playing multiple Tests at the same ground (two in Chennai and two in Ahmedabad).” “We know there will be differences as in Kanpur you will have black clay and in Wankhede, you will have red clay. These are certain adaptations that we have to make,” the coach explained.