ODI World Cup ‘litmus test’ awaits India on upcoming New Zealand tour, says Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin doesn’t mince words. Days before India embark on the New Zealand tour, the former off-spinner said the series will be a “litmus test” ahead of next year’s ODI World Cup.

“I think it’s probably one of the closest tests we might have going into the ODI World Cup next year. New Zealand have a really good seam attack.

“It is probably the closest we’ll get... I know South Africa can have a lot steeper bounce and pace than New Zealand, but this is probably a closer litmus test. I’d be looking forward to New Zealand posing us challenges with some challenging pitches,” Ashwin said during an interaction facilitated by Sony Sports.

“If they do give us challenging pitches, it’ll be very exciting for us, and we will know where we stand going into that World Cup, where we need to address, what we need to reboot, how we need to restructure our squads and how we can prepare. So it will be very exciting, but make no mistake, it’ll be a litmus test for us.”

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s form will be crucial in the ODIs since the batting will revolve around them.

“...Virat and Rohit have very good white-ball experience there, and I think Virat has runs there in the Test format as well. Both of them have a lot of experience, and the team can lean on them. With Shubman Gill also in good form, I expect him to continue that form in the white-ball leg.

“New Zealand will pose challenges in the white-ball formats with how well they understand their conditions. Understanding conditions is very hard to tell someone, because how I understand it is not how someone else will... That’s why we always talk about experience.”

India will play five T20Is, beginning Thursday, followed by five ODIs and two Tests.

Having played a Test in New Zealand, Ashwin feels a spinner’s success will depend a lot on how they adjust to the wind which can be a “real challenge”.

India tour of NZ, live on Sony Sports and SonyLIV from October 22