IND v NZ, Test series - 5 New Zealand players to watch out for

2. Mitchell Santner:

Mitchell Santner is the best spin bowling prospect New Zealand have. It won’t be wrong to say that the success of the Black Caps depends largely on his bowling performance other than their batsmen’s ability to cope with the Indian spinners. He is going to be a vital part.

The last time India lost a Test series in their own backyard was against England in 2011 ad it was a left-arm spinner (Monty Panesar) who dismantled the Indians completely. Santner grabbed the limelight in the World T20 earlier this year where he finished as the joint highest wicket-taker among Test playing nations.

This performance helped him announce himself at the international level and since then he has been a permanent part of the Kiwis bowling attack. The 24-year-old, who made his debut against Australia last year, has so far played in only 7 Tests and has taken 15 wickets. But, he has a golden opportunity to achieve greater success in the helpful conditions.