The New Zealand team, which reached Kolkata directly after the victory against Sri Lanka, left no stone unturned in practice. Santner admitted that an extra day’s rest would have been nice, but the players are fully prepared. He said that the conditions in India will be beneficial from IPL and other series, but adaptation on the day of the match is most important.

Regarding the pitch, Santner said that it looks flat, which will help the batsmen in scoring runs. Still, the spinners will get opportunities and the fast bowlers will have to adopt the correct line-length. Small boundaries of the field will also affect the strategy.

South Africa’s performance has been excellent, so it will be a tough match. This match to be played during the celebration of Holi will become a source of inspiration for the team. Under the leadership of Santner, New Zealand will emerge as a strong contender for victory.