After bulldozing every team which came their way so far in the ongoing ODI World Cup, India will next face New Zealand in a big game in Dharamsala on October 22, Sunday.
While India have notched back-to-back wins against Australia, Afghanistan and Pakistan, New Zealand have beaten England, Netherlands, Bangladesh and Afghanistan in their first four clashes.
New Zealand's latest win came against Afghanistan, who they thrashed by 149 runs in Chennai on Wednesday. This emphatic win catapulted New Zealand to top of the points table edging India.
New Zealand posted a total of 288/6 riding on brilliant fifties from Will Young, Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips. In reply, Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson's three fers dismantled Afghanistan's batting line up and bowled them out for a paltry 139.
Following Afghanistan's drubbing, New Zealand's star spinner Mitchell Santner is gearing up for a highly anticipated World Cup clash against India, and he recognises the significance of evaluating the conditions in Dharamsala and finding a way to counter the in-form Rohit Sharma.
"We know they're going to obviously be a challenge at home. They look pretty tough to beat. We'll have to do our assessment in Dharamsala - see what the wicket's going to do," Santner said on Wednesday.
One of the major concerns for New Zealand is Rohit Sharma's impressive form at the top of the Indian batting order. Rohit has been delivering outstanding performances, including brilliant knocks of 86 against Pakistan and a stunning 131 against Afghanistan, leading India to significant victories.
"I think power play with the ball is going to be very important. The way Rohit's kind of getting them off to a flyer. And so, I think we have to do similar stuff to what we're doing," Santner explained, emphasising the need for a strong start with the ball.
Throughout the World Cup, New Zealand has showcased their ability to adapt to different conditions, having played in venues like Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Chennai. Santner emphasised the need to approach the game against India with a similar mindset, assessing the conditions, and determining the best strategies for both batting and bowling to build crucial partnerships and make a deep impact.
In their quest for their maiden World Cup title, New Zealand have already achieved notable victories over formidable teams like England, Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Despite the challenges, they remain focused on their game plan and the ultimate goal.
"We've just got to kind of keep doing us, keep focused on the things we want to and how we want to play. And obviously, it's nice to be in this position to lead into this game," Santner mentioned.
"I guess you're never going to play a perfect game so for us, it's two points. That's what we look to get out of every game depending on who we're playing and what we've done well through this tournament is being able to adapt to different conditions.
"Every pitch we've played on has been slightly different. We have to treat it very similarly leading into the game against India, assess the conditions, see what's going to work the best with ball, with bat, build those partnerships and try to take them deep and see what happens."
He also acknowledged the long and unpredictable nature of the tournament, where a single loss doesn't necessarily diminish their chances if they perform well in other matches.
Reflecting on their recent game against Afghanistan, Santner pointed out the crucial turning point – the 144-run partnership between skipper Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips. This partnership proved pivotal in enabling New Zealand to post a respectable total of 288 for 6, which they successfully defended to secure the victory.
"We know that every game is a tough game. Afghanistan today was no different. We started off pretty well, but there were moments in the game where we were battling a little bit," Santner remarked, highlighting the competitive nature of the tournament.
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