Adjusting to conditions the key, says Kane Williamson as New Zealand brace for packed couple of months in India and Sri Lanka

Senior batter Kane Williamson said adjusting to the subcontinental conditions will be crucial for his team as New Zealand brace for a packed couple of months featuring six Tests in India and Sri Lanka.

New Zealand arrived in Greater Noida on Thursday, where they face Afghanistan in a one-off Test — the first time these two nations are squaring off in the red-ball format. The Kiwis then fly to Sri Lanka for a two-Test series, the first match of which will be a rare six-day affair.

New Zealand then return to India for a three-Test series against India that gets underway on 16 October in Bengaluru, with matches later scheduled to take place in Pune and Mumbai.

“We’re absolutely going to be challenged in a number of ways (in Asia),” Williamson said on Saturday.

“But the opportunity to have a block here, I think it’s important for us as a team to look to grow throughout, pick up the experiences that we’re going to have over the next sort of two and a half months and be better for it.

“Nice to be here preparing for the first Test and look forward to those small steps, getting more and more familiar as much as we can to those conditions and looking to try and put together our best cricket.”

After the Asia tour, New Zealand host England for a three-Test series, starting November, and barring the game against Afghanistan, the rest are a part of their World Test Championships calendar.

“In some ways it’s like tournament sport, isn’t it? Even though it’s over a longer period of time in the Test Championship. But the value of games is high. The context around Test Cricket with the Test Championship is really key.

“Having six Test matches together is a big part of our Test Championship calendar. You know, such a volume of Test cricket that we don’t usually get,” Williamson conceded.

New Zealand have an underwhelming record in the subcontinent. In India, where they are scheduled to play four games, the Kiwis have managed to win just twice in 36 Test matches.

“As a team, it’s really important that we look to grow as a unit, get nice and clear on how we want to play over here (subcontinent),”

“We always know that it’s a tough challenge whenever you play in these parts of the world. Slightly different to back home, but always a great experience playing against really, really strong sides. So a good opportunity for us.”

Williamson, who made his Test debut in India, is one of the leading batters in the world. However, the 34-year-old’s record in India and Sri Lanka is far from extraordinary. In 22 innings, he averages 31.36.

“It’s absolutely about trying to adjust your game because we’re not here consistently in this format.

“And it goes quite long intervals of not playing here. So, you know, it is trying to sort of familiarise yourself again,” Willaimson said when asked about his preparation.

The former skipper reckons spinners will once again dominate proceedings against Afghanistan.

“Yeah, I guess a few unknowns, not having a lot of Test cricket here. No doubt the spinners will play a big role as they often do in this part of the world. So for us, it’ll be just looking to adjust as well as we can,” he added.

With PTI inputs