New Zealand head coach Gary Stead was seen at a practice session earlier this month in Bengaluru. — Reuters file
New Zealand's potential for a historic series whitewash in India hinges on their ability to adjust to the Mumbai pitch, according to coach Gary Stead. The visitors dominated India in the series opener in Bengaluru, winning by eight wickets, and followed up with a 113-run victory in Pune on Saturday, ending India's impressive home streak of 18 consecutive series wins dating back to 2012. India's last home series whitewash occurred in 2000 when they lost 2-0 to South Africa.
"A series win alone is remarkable, but our goal is to continually improve with each game, and now we face different conditions," Stead told New Zealand media. A further victory would enhance the Black Caps' chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final next year, he added. However, Stead emphasized the challenge of adapting to the Wankhede Stadium's red clay pitch after their wins on black soil surfaces.
India defeated New Zealand by 70 runs at the same venue in the semi-finals of last year's Cricket World Cup and crushed them by 372 runs in a Test match in 2021. "The red clay is quite different, so we need to adapt swiftly," he said. "Our next two training sessions will be crucial, but for the WTC, one more win would definitely benefit us." New Zealand, the 2021 WTC champions, are currently fourth in the standings. To boost their chances of finishing in the top two, they must defeat India and overcome England in three home Tests next month.
"The first time we qualified for the WTC final, we had to win four consecutive Tests, which we managed," Stead added. "Hopefully, we can draw on that experience and see this as another opportunity to achieve something extraordinary." The third Test begins in Mumbai on Friday.
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