New captain Tom Latham is promising a "no-fear" approach as he takes charge of New Zealand for the first test against India in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Latham has the daunting task of turning around his side's fortunes – they were swept 2-0 in Sri Lanka last month – against an in-form India in a country where New Zealand's last test win came 36 years ago.
"It's about trying to continue doing the good stuff we've been doing, trying to put my spin on things," said Latham, who took over the captaincy when Tim Southee stepped down after the Sri Lanka defeats.
"In India... teams that have done well out there in the past have been quite aggressive towards them."
The 32-year-led Latham led New Zealand in nine previous tests as a stand-in-skipper and said he would be "leaning on those experiences" against India.
History indicates he is in for a difficult baptism as fulltime skipper. The Black Caps have won just two tests in India in 36 outings, in 1969 at Nagpur and in 1988 at Mumbai.
"It's an exciting challenge," Latham said, before adding that he hoped his men would "play with a bit of freedom, bit of no fear", to "try and take it to them".
"It's a massive honour and a huge privilege"
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 10, 2024
Hear from skipper Tom Latham ahead of the team's departure for India 🇮🇳 🏟 #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/NFCaSvhdSz
WILLIAMSON DOUBT
Latham said he aimed to put India "under pressure", rather than "sitting and waiting for something to happen".
New Zealand's chances of making the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's next year are receding as they find themselves sixth of nine teams in the standings.
But table-toppers India, led by Rohit Sharma and fresh from a 2-0 sweep of Bangladesh, will begin as firm favourites to win the series.
New Zealand will likely be without leading batsman Kane Williamson in the first test, as the former captain recovers from a groin injury.
New Zealand will field rookie pace bowler William O'Rourke alongside left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, who became only the third bowler in test history to claim all 10 wickets in an innings at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium in 2021.
India are targeting third consecutive crack at the World Test Championship crown after losing in the final to New Zealand in 2021 and Australia last year.
After facing New Zealand at home, India will travel to Australia for a much-anticipated five-match series between the world's top-ranked test sides.
"I think against New Zealand it's a safe bet to win all three test matches, and get those vital (WTC) points," former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar said on Star Sports.
"You want to get as many (points) as possible before you go to Australia."
Veterans slow bowlers Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will form India's spin attack while their pace battery will be led by top-ranked test bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who took 11 wickets against Bangladesh.
Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant strengthened the team's middle-order batting when he marked his test return – following a near-fatal car crash in December 2022 – with a century in the second innings of the first test against Bangladesh.
The second test begins on 24 October in Pune, with the third starting on 1 November in Mumbai.