Kolkata could be New Zealand's chance to mount stiff challenge

New Zealand have had a rough initiation in Kanpur.

"I think this is the best pitch that they will get on this tour," said R Ashwin on the fourth day in of the first Test. What he added soon after was that the ball was turning, but slowly. On more traditional Indian surfaces, we might get to see the ball zipping across the turf as well in addition to spin. But Ashwin might have jumped a little too far ahead with his judgement because the pitch in Kolkata, for the second Test starting on Friday (September 30), is a fresh one. The relaying process has taken place at the Eden Gardens and the pitch being used is one on which virtually no game has been played so far. Those tend to offer a lot more for the pacers, at least early in the game. But for that New Zealand will have to win the toss, and that could go a long way in dictating terms in these parts.

That aside, there is plenty that New Zealand will be working upon. Just a three-day gap out of which one went in travel means they are left with just two days. They didn't practice on Wednesday either. "Rest and recovery," mentioned Kane Williamson at the end of the first Test on how they would plan their days ahead. That leaves them with just one day before the start of the second game to iron out any flaws that might have been observed during the first.

Clearly that isn't enough time to make technical changes to the game. Although there is enough evidence that a few of their batsmen might not be reading the spinners from their hands - an oft-cited rule to playing spin well - that is one aspect to be worked upon. Their spinners too have a fair bit to learn and deliver in terms of maintaining good lengths for longer periods. Much longer periods.

Both these aspects of the game have part to do with the mental aspect, mainly concentration. The batsmen will have to watch the ball with keener eyes and the bowlers will have to guard against tiring mentally in the sapping heat during longer periods.

And a lot of them can take some inspiration from Mitchell Santner. At 24, playing his first Test in India, he was their standout player clearly with both bat and ball. While Mark Craig had a legitimate claim to be the best bowler in the first innings (Santner had the wickets then), the second innings in Green Park saw Santner out-bowling all his partners. There were next to no short balls on offer while cuts and pulls were regularly played off Ish Sodhi and Craig. His lines were tighter and it was clear who India were looking to play out and who they were ready to take on.

Santner has had guidance from Daniel Vettori and even bears an uncanny resemblance to him in the roles he perform for the New Zealand team. Tight spinner? Check. Useful batsman? Check. And he's a better fielder than Vettori.

It isn't a stretch then, to believe that it is Santner around whom New Zealand's plans will be drawn. That brings with it extra pressure. India might be keen to add more to it by attacking him early in Kolkata but Santner bears a calm that holds him in good stead. In a press conference, he was measured while talking and even mumbled a few lines but there wasn't much to suggest that he was taking the heat to his head. It's no surprise then that he takes those same characteristics on the field as well. Even as a batsman, he doesn't seem hurried often, neither was he flustered when the ball kept sneaking past his bat.

Ashwin had called out the technique of New Zealand's left-handed batsmen saying that they plonked their foot straight down, which might not always work well on spinning surfaces. But even he had to depend on a rough patch, way outside leg, that exploded like a grenade to dislodge a doughty Santner. By then, though, Santner had done enough to establish his credentials. He'd also be keen on seeing how Ravindra Jadeja operates to pick up a few things.

Luke Ronchi looked like the perfect man to take the attack to India. For a long while, he showed what it took to put India under pressure in their own backyard. On the fifth morning, Ronchi was patient even as Ashwin and Jadeja started off with a string of maiden overs but when the session wore on, he showed that he was capable of producing boundaries of the sort that would dishearten bowlers. But just when it looked like he was getting under the skin of the opposition, he threw it all away in a quest to dominate further. While attacking is a good option to counter spin, knowing when to attack and when to hold back might be the bigger lesson here.

Williamson, at the end of the Test, suggested that although the scoreline of defeat - by 197 runs - seemed a big one, there were enough periods of play where New Zealand were more than competitive. At the end of the second day, they even had their noses ahead. Towards the end of the third day, with a little more discipline with the ball, they could have made sure India didn't race away with the game.

Their biggest worries would be the utter lack of comfort shown by the likes of Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor. Injuries to key players haven't helped their cause either. But there's enough reason to believe that they have the capabilities of mounting a more serious challenge to India on this tour. A helpful pitch in Kolkata, which might be a stretch to imagine, could be a start.