Hamilton Test: Needling before needle tie

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has challenged India8217;s batsmen to live up to their much-vaunted reputation in the second Test betwe...

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has challenged India8217;s batsmen to live up to their much-vaunted reputation in the second Test between the two sides starting on Thursday.

8216;8216;We hear a lot of talk about India8217;s batting and how they are the best players in the world,8217;8217; Fleming told reporters on Wednesday. 8216;8216;But, if you can8217;t play on all surfaces, then you are not the best players in the world.

They can be great players, but to adapt to different surfaces would make them even greater. When we go to India, we have to adjust to slower, turning wickets and that8217;s just as big a challenge 8212; more so in some instances 8212; than playing on a good, bouncy wicket,8217;8217; he added.

New Zealand lead the two-match series 1-0 after demolishing their opponents by 10 wickets at the Basin Reserve in Wellington last week. India8217;s batting folded with only one exception in each innings, Rahul Dravid top-scoring with 76 in the first innings of 161 and Sachin Tendulkar making 51 as his side collapsed to 121 all out batting a second time.

Not that New Zealand8217;s batsmen shone with a first innings of 247 in the Wellington Test but Fleming said the wet spring and early summer in New Zealand had been a key factor, combining to produce pitches of fresh, rather than good, bounce.

8216;8216;We have been wanting bouncier wickets but, with the weather we8217;ve had, we8217;ve also copped a lot of seam,8217;8217; he said. 8216;8216;If we8217;re honest, no one likes that.8217;8217;

Meanwhile, India still face fitness concerns over Sanjay Bangar and Ajit Agarkar, who both suffered finger injuries in the Wellington Test.

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Agarkar8217;s injury could provide the opportunity for right-arm seamer Tinu Yohannan to play in his third Test, having impressed with the ball in the three-day tour match against Central Districts earlier this month.

India coach John Wright wants his batsmen to produce greater self-belief after their disappointing performance in the Wellington series opener. 8216;8216;You don8217;t become a bad player overnight and I still believe the New Zealand cricket fan wants to see this Indian team batting well,8217;8217; he said. 8216;8216;And that8217;s what we will try to do in this match.8217;8217; Reuters