‘Play as late as possible’: Gavaskar’s advice to India batters for NZ Tests

Sunil Gavaskar

Mumbai: Sunil Gavaskar has advised India’s batters to play the ball as late as possible when they face New Zealand in the two-Test series in Wellington and Christchurch, where swing and seam are expected to pose a major challenge.India struggled on their last Test tour of New Zealand in February-March 2020, losing 0-2 after managing totals of 165, 191, 242 and 124. With green pitches likely again, Gavaskar said patience and technique would be vital.

“Like in England, you try and play as late as possible. Don’t commit yourself too much, because that gives you the chance to cover the movement off the pitch,” Gavaskar said.“When there is movement in the air, you can see it and react. But after pitching, the movement happens very close to the bat.

The later you play, the better your chances of scoring runs and defending the good ball. Don’t push at the ball. Defend with soft hands, not hard hands.”The batting great also questioned the decision to schedule only two Tests, saying every series in the next World Test Championship cycle should have at least three matches.“Ideally, there should be a minimum of three Tests. Two Tests don’t always give you a result. One team could win one match and the other team the next.

A third Test gives you a better opportunity to win a series,” he said.He believes India will benefit from having spent an extended period in New Zealand before the Tests, with the team already playing five T20Is and five ODIs on the tour.“One of the biggest problems in New Zealand is getting your body clock used to the time difference. It takes a really long time for your sleep and waking hours to adjust. The Indian team being there already is going to be a big plus,” Gavaskar said.He warned that early-summer conditions could make batting difficult but said runs would be available once batters settled in.“There will be a fair bit of grass, cooler weather and the possibility of rain. The ball will move in the air and after pitching, so it won’t be easy. But once you settle down, these can be some of the best pitches to bat on. I’m hoping our batters get going,” he said.

Gavaskar also backed India’s pace attack to challenge New Zealand.“With Jasprit Bumrah leading the attack and Mohammed Siraj around, we have the capability of surprising the New Zealand batting unit. We’ve got a good team. As with everything, you need a little bit of luck,” he said.(Tune-in: Watch India’s tour of New Zealand live and exclusive on Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV, starting October 22, 2026.)