Top batter Rachin Ravindra said on Monday that eliminating the dual threat of senior spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will be crucial to New Zealand's success in the three-match series against India. Ashwin and Jadeja have taken over 800 Test wickets between them and are currently one of the most experienced bowling pairs in world cricket. “You have consistent bowlers who bowl in one area for a long period of time. I mean, you see the two spinners who are playing consistently, Ashwin and Jadeja, they are two very accomplished bowlers. You know, they can bat too, which makes it a bit difficult,” Ravindra told reporters on Monday.

“They're consistent, they're tough, especially in this part of the world. Obviously we know how good India are in terms of their own conditions and the quality of their bowlers and batsmen. It shows how difficult it is for a team to win here. So it’s difficult,” he added.

Ravindra drew on his previous experience playing cricket in India to do well in the upcoming Test match.

The New Zealander played in the ODI World Cup in this part of the world last year before appearing for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL in 2024.

“Even though they are different formats, it gives you peace of mind that you can perform in this part of the world. I think it (Test cricket) is a completely different challenge and I'm really looking forward to it.

“As you have seen, these two tournaments (ODI WC and IPL) were great, the crowd and the passion and the hype and the excitement around them. So I’m happy to have a full-fledged series here,” he noted.

From a team perspective, the 24-year-old said the tourists need to remain focused on their game plans rather than worrying about India's approach.

“The type of cricket they play is very positive, especially in their own conditions. The way they have developed over the last few years has been amazing, especially away from home (from home).

“As New Zealanders we don’t necessarily try to keep too much eye on the opponent. We know what a good team they are and what they bring to the table, but I think if we are able to play our game, be consistent and do our best, hopefully that will lead to a win,” added he added.

New Zealand's preparation for the series against India has been less than ideal as they recently lost 2-0 to Sri Lanka while their one-off friendly against Afghanistan in Noida was a bust.

However, Ravindra was confident that the team can draw on the lessons learned from the experience against India.

“We put in some really good performances during the Sri Lanka series and obviously ended up on the wrong side of the win and loss column. But I think as a group there were times when we really pushed and the first Test was close,” he said.

In the first Test against the Islanders in Galle, the left-hander made a fine 92 but the Kiwis lost the match by 63 runs while chasing 275 runs.

Ravindra wanted his team not to repeat the mistake of faltering at crucial moments.

“I think we have to understand that we have to fight for long periods of time because that's what Test match cricket is all about. Obviously Sri Lanka and India are different places but they are similar in terms of the amount of spin you can play.

“So we learned a lot. So it’s about figuring out how we play our game and how we can bring it here to India,” he added.