Batsman Ajinkya Rahane is expecting the Kanpur wicket to assist the Indian spinners and says the team's performance in the first Test will set the tone for a long home season, comprising 13 five-day games.
"It is exciting times for us with the 13 Tests scheduled at home. The West Indies tour went well for us. Some players also featured in the Duleep Trophy before the New Zealand series. We feel we are in pretty good space at the moment," Rahane said ahead of India's first match of the three-Test series against New Zealand, beginning on Friday.
"It will be important to play series by series. We know our conditions here. Having said that, it is important that we respect the opponents in all the 13 Tests."
The pitch has been the talking point again before the start of a home series. New Zealand were not offered a turning track in their warm-up match in Delhi but the wicket in India's 500th Test at Green Park is expected to be a turner. However, Rahane insisted that the team is focussed only on performing, irrespective of the conditions. India's outdoor practice session on Sunday was washed out due to heavy rain.
"The weather is not in our control but we have generally seen slow and low wickets here, like it was in the ODI against South Africa last year. Every day (of the game) the pitch behaves different so we will have to analyse how it would play out each day. Anyway as a team we don't focus on the pitch, we are focussed on putting up a good performance.
"Hopefully the wicket will turn. We all know in India that wickets are helpful for the spinners. That is our strength here and it is important to play to our strengths. As of now not sure how the wicket will behave," said the batsman.
'Dream Team' initiative
New Delhi: The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) has launched a fan engagement initiative 'Dream Team' to mark the 500th Test of Team India. The first Test match of the New Zealand tour of India to be played at Kanpur from September 22 onwards will be Team India's 500th Test match. The initiative empowers cricket fans from all across the globe to vote for India's 'Dream Team' through a series of poll questions on Indian cricket team's Facebook Page.
Meanwhile, the BCCI on Thursday tied up with Financial Services firm Janalakshmi Financial Services (Jana) as an associate sponsor
Jana will be the official financial services partner of the Indian cricket team besides grounds right, where the financial services firm would have visibility on the field.
Meanwhile, DDCA director Sunil Yadav has been appointed the BCCI observer for India's 500th Test, which will be played against New Zealand in Kanpur.