The drubbing that New Zealand got from Australia still fresh in his mind, senior batsman Ross Taylor is hoping that the Black Caps will turn it around on home soil when they take on India in the upcoming limited-overs and Test series.
New Zealand lost the Test series 0-3 to their Trans-Tasmanian rivals recently. India, on the other hand, will go in to the five T20, three ODIs and two Test series, on the back of resounding home series victory over Australia.
“We were completely outplayed in all facets of the game throughout the whole series (against Australia) but now we’re back on home soil and India will be a totally different opposition,” Taylor was quoted as saying by the local media in Auckland.
Taylor added, “They’re the No 1 team in the world, but we’re obviously in conditions that we know, so let’s get through the white-ball phase first before we get on to talking about Tests.”
India’s New Zealand tour will begin with the T20 series in Eden Park on Friday. It will be followed by the ODIs and Tests. The 36-year-old also talked about the challenge all cricketing sides will face in Australia when they host the T20 World Cup later this year.
“It’s the first time a T20 World Cup is there and if you watch the Big Bash, there are big boundaries so you are going to have to skin the cat differently than how you play in New Zealand and other parts of the world,” he said.
Much has been said about the negative impact of T20 cricket on the traditional five-day format. But Taylor hoped that game has enough room for all three formats to thrive. He said: “Not a lot of people knew what to expect in the first World Cup in South Africa in ‘07, but it’s grown a lot. Obviously the IPL came along not so long after. Quite often you used to play one, maybe two games, now we’ve got a five-match series.”
He added, “The game’s evolved and the shots that the men and the women are playing make it exciting for people to come along and watch. There’s been a lot of talk in recent times about (the future) of Test cricket and one-day cricket and Twenty20.
“Hopefully there’s room for all three, and Twenty20 for the next five matches anyway will be exciting and the New Zealand public will be looking forward to a good series.”
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