Napier: Fiery pace and bounce has always been India's bane on foreign soil but former New Zealand speedster Simon Doull says India's young brigade of batsmen is well equipped to face the Kiwi quicks on green tops.
Doull said the new-look Indian side, radiating with youthful exuberance, is full of shot-makers who have grown up playing on better surfaces, facing the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Dale Steyn in the IPL.
"Gone are the days when one could send the visitors to a green-tinge deck and they would be worried. For one, India's batting order won't fall over like the West Windies did (in the earlier series). From one to seven, they've got quality batsmen. Guys like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni will hurt you, whether it's pace or spin you bowl to them," Doull wrote in his column for stuff.co.nz.
"Young India batsmen are a lot better than they used to be at facing pace. They've grown up playing on better surfaces, facing the likes of Johnson and Steyn in the IPL - so they are far better equipped to play good, quick, short-pitched seam bowling. Their ability to play spin is undoubted, so it will be a real mountain for the New Zealand bowlers to climb," said Doull.
The Indian team arrived here on Monday for the five-match series which would be followed by two Tests next month.
