New Zealand captain Tom Latham is hopeful that the turning pitch at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune could work in their favor during the second Test against India. While there has been much speculation about the slow, dry black-soil surface expected for the match, Latham emphasized his team’s ability to adapt rather than focus on conditions beyond their control.
“Whatever we are presented with, it’s about trying to adjust as quickly as possible,” Latham said on the eve of the match. “We can’t control the pitch, but we have to adapt on the go. If it does turn more, we have four spinners in our squad, and hopefully, that plays into our hands. But it’s important to stay flexible and avoid too many preconceived ideas.”
New Zealand’s allrounder Rachin Ravindra echoed his captain’s sentiment, expressing excitement at the prospect of challenging conditions. Ravindra, one of the spin options in New Zealand’s lineup, recalled how in 2017, Pune produced a sharp turner that backfired on India when Australia’s Steve O’Keefe spun his team to a memorable victory, taking 12 wickets across three days.
“If it’s an extreme turner, it actually plays more into our hands,” Ravindra said. “If we win the toss and grab a few quick wickets, we’re right in the game. The key is to accept what’s in front of us. We can’t control the pitch, but we can control our mindset and how we approach the challenge.”
New Zealand’s spin trio wasn’t needed in seaming conditions during the first Test in Bengaluru, but the spinners are expected to play a more significant role in Pune. New Zealand is open to picking an additional spinner in place of a seamer depending on the pitch. Although off-spinning allrounder Michael Bracewell returned home for the birth of his second child, New Zealand still has options with left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and wristspinner Ish Sodhi.
Latham hinted that the team would make final decisions regarding the playing XI after assessing the conditions more closely. “We’ve had a bit of a think about the team combination, but we’ll finalize that after I talk to you guys. We’re trying to gather information from previous games here and the practice pitches. The beauty of our squad is our ability to adjust, and we’re not going into this game with set ideas,” he explained.
Reflecting on New Zealand’s victory in Bengaluru, where Latham joined the ranks of Graham Dowling and John Wright as the only Kiwi captains to lead their side to a Test win in India, Latham chose to look forward rather than dwell on past successes.
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“It was very special to be a part of that win, but it was a team effort,” Latham said. “While it was a fantastic performance last week, our focus is now on this game. We want to carry the confidence from Bengaluru and hit the ground running in Pune.”
New Zealand now hopes to capitalize on the spinning conditions and seal the series against a strong Indian side, banking on their adaptability and the prowess of their spin attack.
