India v/s New Zealand: Team India strategy is to adapt and play

How is the wicket? Will it be a rank turner or plain flat? Has the curator been asked to prepare a turner by coach or captain? Wickets, wickets and wickets.

Questions relating to the nature of pitch are the most asked in the build up to a Test match played in India.

The curator basks in the limelight that he usually doesn't get on normal days while the team members don't really like to dwell much into it openly.

So, it wasn't surprising when the questions about the 'wickets' were thrown at India coach Anil Kumble ahead of his first home series since taking over from team director Ravi Shastri.

As a player, Kumble was known to speak straight from the heart. But as a coach he seems a bit more cautious. "It is the first match of the home series, I knew the first question would be about the pitch and also the last question," said Kumble even as the crowd burst into laughter.

In the last few years, the Indian team management is often accused of demanding a wicket that supports spinners, but Kumble has denied asking for it.

"Nobody is demanding anything. We will go into the game thinking that our spinners are better. We hope the performance we produced in the West Indies continues at home as well. Yes, there will be spin and opinions will be formed after the first ball. But since I am the coach, I can't think like that. We make our plans as the game goes on," said Kumble.

Kumble was clear in not dwelling much into the topic of wickets. Instead, he was keen on discussing the game.

"According to me, it is a typical Kanpur wicket. It is the start of a season, it has rained a lot and the surface has not been used much of late. It is looking good. Having said that, I believe that the talk should be about cricket that is played on the pitch and not the pitch. In the team meetings, we have discussed this only. Whatever wicket we get, we will adapt and play," he said.

With three spinners in New Zealand's line-up — leggie Ish Sodhi, left-armer Mitchel Santer and offie Mark Craig, Kumble praised the Kiwis.

"New Zealand have always done really well. They are not just good at home, they tour really well. The fact that they have three spinners (each being different from another), yes we watched them, at least I watched the two spinners out of three in World T20, where they played a significant role in the team.

"It's heartening to see spinners play a major role in other teams and not just the Indian team. We respect the opponents, not just in the spin department but in all departments. They have different spin variations, which you don't see often in a foreign team," he added.

With the amount of cricket being played these days, the conditions have become familiar to visiting teams to India. However, Kumble felt that adaptability would be a key factor.

"I don't think there is any intrigue left. The challenge is to adapt to the conditions as quickly as possible. Equally the same for the home team as well. You are playing so much cricket and it is all about adapting to the challenges that come your way.

"The home team certainly has the advantage in these conditions but for a foreign team, the conditions are no longer alien. Most of the New Zealand players have played in the IPL, so they know what to expect and how to adapt," Kumble stated.

India will be having a long season, but the former India captain wanted the players to focus on the present. "The immediate task on hand is the focus but we are also keeping in mind the long season ahead. Thirteen Tests in less than six months is not easy on the players, their workloads. We will keep track of that during preparations. You would notice as the series goes along, there will will be less time spent in between matches on the cricket field. So, whatever we need to address, we will only address those isses."

Kumble & Co salute Uri bravehearts

Kanpur: Anil Kumble, on Tuesday, offered his condolences on behalf of the national cricket team for the soldiers of Indian Army who lost their lives during a dastardly terrorist attack in Uri, a town in Jammu and Kashmir. Kumble said: "In terms of our support to the people who safeguard all of us, we deeply condone their death. We honour their matryrdom. It is never easy for the families. As Indian team, we salute the bravehearts. The respect from our side will always be there."

Kapil chides journo over Pak question

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, former India captain Kapil Dev lost his cool at a journalist. Kapil was the chief guest at the Kabaddi World Cup media conference, when a scribe asked why Pakistan had not been invited for the tournament to be held from October 7 in Ahmedabad.

"If you are a Hindustani, you should not ask the question at all. Is it the time to ask this question?" he asked fuming, obviously referring to the deadly fidayeen attack by militants suspected to be from Pakistan-based JeM on Sunday at Uri. Kapil, who had unveiled the Indian team's jersey at the conference, also said, "Such things should be left to the government to decide. As sportsmen representing the country, if we are told to jump into a pond, we will readily do it."