Facing India in their home is a daunting challenge for any team. New Zealand will have to be really upbeat with their approach and perform to the top level if they hope to match and compete the Indians in their own backyard.

Talking about previous records, the Blacks Caps haven&#8217;t had a great record in India. They have been here 10 times since coming here in 1955 but have never managed to win a series. Their last outing here under the captaincy of Ross Taylor which resulted in a 2-0 whitewash. But, the Black Caps are too dangerous to be written off that easily, especially with players who can adapt to the conditions and use it to their team’s advantage.

Spin plays a vital role traditionally and the Kiwis, this time, seem to have brought a balanced side who promise to thrive in these conditions. So, here in this article, we try to list out 5 such players who could prove to be game changers for New Zealand and may surprise India in the upcoming Test series which begins from September 22.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-79468" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kane-Williamson.jpg" alt="Kane Williamson" width="600" height="488" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-79468" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand captain Kane Williamson lifts his bat in celebration of his century. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

For skipper Kane Williamson, it will be a test of his captaincy and batting skills together. Williamson began his captaincy journey in India during the World T20 this year and fared well taking his team to the semi-finals.

He displayed great tactical skills during the tournament using spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi as his main weapon and stunning the oppositions including India. However, situations have changed this time for him as he prepares to face the mighty Indians in the longer format. It will be really exciting to see how he operates his men. His batting skills will also be under test.

Williamson has a satisfying record against India, scoring 326 runs in 5 Tests since playing against them for the first time in 2010 at Ahmedabad. But, in the past couple of years, he has grown into a run making giant and had unfortunately not got any opportunity to play in India. Therefore, this will be a good opportunity for him to improve his record and come up with some wonderful performances.

<strong>Also check out &#8211; <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/india-v-new-zealand-test-series-5-indian-players-to-watch-out-for/" target="_blank">India v New Zealand, Test series: 5 Indian players to watch out for</a></strong>

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-43752" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mitchell-Santner-of-New-Zealand-celebrates-GettyImages-493854194.jpg" alt="Mitchell Santner of New Zealand" width="700" height="480" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-43752" class="wp-caption-text">Mitchell Santner of New Zealand. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Mitchell Santner is the best spin bowling prospect New Zealand have. It won&#8217;t be wrong to say that the success of the Black Caps depends largely on his bowling performance other than their batsmen&#8217;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.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-80385" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ish-Sodhi.jpg" alt="Ish Sodhi" width="600" height="485" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-80385" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand&#8217;s bowler Ish Sodhi. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Ish Sodhi will most likely partner for Santner against India if Williamson chooses to go with just two spinners. He too will be equally lethal and can be the decisive factor for the Kiwis just like Santner.

The leg-spinner, who is still trying to improve and cement his place in the Test squad, can use this as the breakthrough opportunity to gain some great reputation.

Sodhi totally enjoyed bowling on the spinning tracks the last time he was here for the World T20 earlier this year. His effective bowling saw him end as the highest wicket taker of the tournament. And, therefore, it will be interesting to see how he performs in the longer format of the game.

<strong>Also read &#8211; <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/gautam-gambhir-warns-india-not-to-take-kiwis-lightly/" target="_blank">Gautam Gambhir warns India not to take Kiwis lightly</a></strong>

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-78521" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/New-Zealand.jpg" alt="New Zealand" width="600" height="432" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-78521" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand&#8217;s Trent Boult. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

For Trent Boult, it will be a chance to learn a few new nuances of swing bowling. He has been the lead bowler for the Kiwis in recent times. With 43 Tests under his belt, he has plenty of experience at the international level.

But, he has only played 2 Tests in India before. Boult won&#8217;t be getting the swing and bounce that he gets in New Zealand and Australia. He will really have to grind out and be tactical to achieve success. Making full use of the early morning session and his ability to reverse the ball will be vital factors.

If he succeeds in using these factors to his advantage then India may have to bother about him. But, however, if he fails then Boult might just end up playing a supportive role to the spinners.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-79389" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Tom-Latham.jpg" alt="Tom Latham" width="600" height="485" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-79389" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand&#8217;s batsman Tom Latham celebrates his century. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Tom Latham is one of those fortunate cricketers who has had the opportunity to play all around the world in a short career span. Latham has played 22 Tests but the wonderful fact about his career is that these matches have been spread across 6 countries.

All these experiences should come into play when he gets to bat against the same team he made his debut against in 2014. His last two tours got him mixed results. He scored back to back centuries against Zimbabwe but failed miserable in the following tour against South Africa where he could not even get double digit scores.

However, the positive fact about him is his performance on the spinner-friendly tracks. His knocks of 103 and 137 against Pakistan in the 2014 tour to the UAE can be judged as his best career performances so far.

<strong>Also read &#8211; <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/india-always-great-country-come-stephen-fleming/" target="_blank">India has always been a great country to come to: Stephen Fleming</a></strong>

<p>Facing India in their home is a&nbsp;daunting challenge for any team. New Zealand will have to be really upbeat with their approach and perform to the top level if they hope to match and compete the Indians in their own backyard.</p>
<p>Talking about previous records, the Blacks Caps haven’t had a great record in India. They have been here 10 times since coming here in 1955 but have never managed to win a series. Their last outing here under the captaincy of Ross Taylor which resulted in a 2-0 whitewash. But, the Black Caps are too dangerous to be written off that easily, especially with players who can adapt to the conditions and use it to their team’s advantage.</p>
<p>Spin plays a vital role traditionally and the Kiwis, this time, seem to have brought a balanced side who promise to thrive in these conditions. So, here in this article, we try to list out 5 such players who could prove to be game changers for New Zealand and may surprise India in the upcoming Test series which begins from September 22.</p>
<h4><strong>1. Kane Williamson:&nbsp;</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_79468" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-79468" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-79468" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kane-Williamson.jpg" alt="Kane Williamson" width="600" height="488" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-79468" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand captain Kane Williamson lifts his bat in celebration of his century. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>For skipper Kane Williamson, it will be a test&nbsp;of his captaincy and batting skills together. Williamson began his captaincy journey in India during the World T20 this year and fared well taking his team to the semi-finals.</p>
<p>He displayed great tactical skills during the tournament using spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi as his main weapon and stunning the oppositions including India. However, situations&nbsp;have changed this time for him as he prepares to face the mighty Indians in the&nbsp;longer format. It will be really exciting to see how he operates his men. His batting skills will also be under test.</p>
<p>Williamson has a satisfying record against India, scoring 326 runs in 5 Tests since playing against them for the first time in 2010 at Ahmedabad. But, in the past couple of years, he has grown into a&nbsp;run making giant and had unfortunately&nbsp;not got any opportunity to play in India. Therefore, this will be a good opportunity for him&nbsp;to improve his record and come up with some&nbsp;wonderful performances.</p>
<h4><strong>Also check out –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crictracker.com/india-v-new-zealand-test-series-5-indian-players-to-watch-out-for/" target="_blank">India v New Zealand, Test series: 5 Indian players to watch out for</a></strong></h4>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>2. Mitchell Santner:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_43752" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-43752" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-43752" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mitchell-Santner-of-New-Zealand-celebrates-GettyImages-493854194.jpg" alt="Mitchell Santner of New Zealand" width="700" height="480" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-43752" class="wp-caption-text">Mitchell Santner of New Zealand. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Mitchell Santner is the&nbsp;best spin bowling prospect New Zealand have. It won’t be wrong to say that the success of the Black Caps depends largely on&nbsp;his bowling performance other than their batsmen’s ability to cope with the Indian spinners. He is going to be a vital part.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>This&nbsp;performance helped him announce himself at the international level and since then he has been a permanent&nbsp;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.</p>
<h4><strong>3. Ish Sodhi:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_80385" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-80385" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-80385" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ish-Sodhi.jpg" alt="Ish Sodhi" width="600" height="485" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-80385" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand’s bowler Ish Sodhi. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Ish Sodhi will most likely partner for Santner against India if Williamson chooses to go with just two spinners. He too will be equally lethal and can be the decisive factor for the Kiwis just like Santner.</p>
<p>The leg-spinner, who is still trying to improve and cement his place in&nbsp;the Test squad, can use this as the breakthrough opportunity to gain some great reputation.</p>
<p>Sodhi&nbsp;totally enjoyed bowling on the spinning tracks the last time he was here&nbsp;for the World T20 earlier this year. His effective bowling saw him end as the highest wicket taker of the tournament. And, therefore, it will be interesting to see how he performs in the longer format of the game.</p>
<h4><strong>Also read –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crictracker.com/gautam-gambhir-warns-india-not-to-take-kiwis-lightly/" target="_blank">Gautam Gambhir warns India not to take Kiwis lightly</a></strong></h4>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>4. Trent Boult:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_78521" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-78521" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-78521" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/New-Zealand.jpg" alt="New Zealand" width="600" height="432" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-78521" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand’s Trent Boult. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>For Trent Boult, it will be a chance to learn a few new nuances of swing bowling. He has been the lead bowler for the Kiwis in recent times. With 43 Tests under his belt, he has plenty of experience at the international level.</p>
<p>But, he has only played 2 Tests in India before. Boult won’t be getting the swing and bounce that he gets in New Zealand and Australia. He will really have to grind out and be tactical&nbsp;to achieve success. Making full use of the early morning session and his ability to reverse the ball will be vital factors.</p>
<p>If he succeeds in using these factors to his advantage then India may have to bother about him. But, however, if he fails then Boult might just end up playing a supportive role to the spinners.</p>
<h4><strong>5. Tom Latham:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_79389" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-79389" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-79389" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Tom-Latham.jpg" alt="Tom Latham" width="600" height="485" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-79389" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand’s batsman Tom Latham celebrates his century. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Tom Latham is one of those fortunate cricketers who has had the opportunity to play all around the world in a short career span. Latham has played 22 Tests but the wonderful fact about his career is that these matches have been spread&nbsp;across 6 countries.</p>
<p>All these experiences should come into play when he gets to bat against the same team he made his debut against in 2014. His last two tours got him mixed results. He scored back to back centuries against Zimbabwe but failed miserable in the following tour against South Africa where he could not even get double digit scores.</p>
<p>However, the positive fact about him is his performance on the spinner-friendly tracks. His knocks of 103 and 137 against Pakistan in the 2014 tour to the UAE can be judged as his best career performances so far.</p>
<h4><strong>Also read –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crictracker.com/india-always-great-country-come-stephen-fleming/" target="_blank">India has always been a great country to come to: Stephen Fleming</a></strong></h4>

<p>Facing India in their home is a daunting challenge for any team. New Zealand will have to be really upbeat with their approach and perform to the top level if they hope to match and compete the Indians in their own backyard.</p>
<p>Talking about previous records, the Blacks Caps haven&#8217;t had a great record in India. They have been here 10 times since coming here in 1955 but have never managed to win a series. Their last outing here under the captaincy of Ross Taylor which resulted in a 2-0 whitewash. But, the Black Caps are too dangerous to be written off that easily, especially with players who can adapt to the conditions and use it to their team’s advantage.</p>
<p>Spin plays a vital role traditionally and the Kiwis, this time, seem to have brought a balanced side who promise to thrive in these conditions. So, here in this article, we try to list out 5 such players who could prove to be game changers for New Zealand and may surprise India in the upcoming Test series which begins from September 22.</p>
<h4><strong>1. Kane Williamson: </strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_79468" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-79468" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-79468" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kane-Williamson.jpg" alt="Kane Williamson" width="600" height="488" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-79468" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand captain Kane Williamson lifts his bat in celebration of his century. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>For skipper Kane Williamson, it will be a test of his captaincy and batting skills together. Williamson began his captaincy journey in India during the World T20 this year and fared well taking his team to the semi-finals.</p>
<p>He displayed great tactical skills during the tournament using spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi as his main weapon and stunning the oppositions including India. However, situations have changed this time for him as he prepares to face the mighty Indians in the longer format. It will be really exciting to see how he operates his men. His batting skills will also be under test.</p>
<p>Williamson has a satisfying record against India, scoring 326 runs in 5 Tests since playing against them for the first time in 2010 at Ahmedabad. But, in the past couple of years, he has grown into a run making giant and had unfortunately not got any opportunity to play in India. Therefore, this will be a good opportunity for him to improve his record and come up with some wonderful performances.</p>
<h4><strong>Also check out &#8211; <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/india-v-new-zealand-test-series-5-indian-players-to-watch-out-for/" target="_blank">India v New Zealand, Test series: 5 Indian players to watch out for</a></strong></h4>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>2. Mitchell Santner:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_43752" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-43752" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-43752" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Mitchell-Santner-of-New-Zealand-celebrates-GettyImages-493854194.jpg" alt="Mitchell Santner of New Zealand" width="700" height="480" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-43752" class="wp-caption-text">Mitchell Santner of New Zealand. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Mitchell Santner is the best spin bowling prospect New Zealand have. It won&#8217;t be wrong to say that the success of the Black Caps depends largely on his bowling performance other than their batsmen&#8217;s ability to cope with the Indian spinners. He is going to be a vital part.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<h4><strong>3. Ish Sodhi:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_80385" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-80385" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-80385" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ish-Sodhi.jpg" alt="Ish Sodhi" width="600" height="485" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-80385" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand&#8217;s bowler Ish Sodhi. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Ish Sodhi will most likely partner for Santner against India if Williamson chooses to go with just two spinners. He too will be equally lethal and can be the decisive factor for the Kiwis just like Santner.</p>
<p>The leg-spinner, who is still trying to improve and cement his place in the Test squad, can use this as the breakthrough opportunity to gain some great reputation.</p>
<p>Sodhi totally enjoyed bowling on the spinning tracks the last time he was here for the World T20 earlier this year. His effective bowling saw him end as the highest wicket taker of the tournament. And, therefore, it will be interesting to see how he performs in the longer format of the game.</p>
<h4><strong>Also read &#8211; <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/gautam-gambhir-warns-india-not-to-take-kiwis-lightly/" target="_blank">Gautam Gambhir warns India not to take Kiwis lightly</a></strong></h4>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>4. Trent Boult:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_78521" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-78521" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-78521" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/New-Zealand.jpg" alt="New Zealand" width="600" height="432" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-78521" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand&#8217;s Trent Boult. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>For Trent Boult, it will be a chance to learn a few new nuances of swing bowling. He has been the lead bowler for the Kiwis in recent times. With 43 Tests under his belt, he has plenty of experience at the international level.</p>
<p>But, he has only played 2 Tests in India before. Boult won&#8217;t be getting the swing and bounce that he gets in New Zealand and Australia. He will really have to grind out and be tactical to achieve success. Making full use of the early morning session and his ability to reverse the ball will be vital factors.</p>
<p>If he succeeds in using these factors to his advantage then India may have to bother about him. But, however, if he fails then Boult might just end up playing a supportive role to the spinners.</p>
<h4><strong>5. Tom Latham:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_79389" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-79389" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-79389" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Tom-Latham.jpg" alt="Tom Latham" width="600" height="485" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-79389" class="wp-caption-text">New Zealand&#8217;s batsman Tom Latham celebrates his century. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Tom Latham is one of those fortunate cricketers who has had the opportunity to play all around the world in a short career span. Latham has played 22 Tests but the wonderful fact about his career is that these matches have been spread across 6 countries.</p>
<p>All these experiences should come into play when he gets to bat against the same team he made his debut against in 2014. His last two tours got him mixed results. He scored back to back centuries against Zimbabwe but failed miserable in the following tour against South Africa where he could not even get double digit scores.</p>
<p>However, the positive fact about him is his performance on the spinner-friendly tracks. His knocks of 103 and 137 against Pakistan in the 2014 tour to the UAE can be judged as his best career performances so far.</p>
<h4><strong>Also read &#8211; <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/india-always-great-country-come-stephen-fleming/" target="_blank">India has always been a great country to come to: Stephen Fleming</a></strong></h4>

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

Facing India in their home condition is a daunting challenge for any team. New Zealand will have to really upbeat with their approach and perform to their

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

5. Tom Latham:

Also read – India has always been a great country to come to: Stephen Fleming