New Zealand white-ball captain Mitchell Santner is under no illusions about the challenge that awaits his side against India’s explosive top order. With the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson capable of dismantling bowling attacks from the outset, Santner knows the Black Caps will need more than discipline to keep the visitors in check.As New Zealand prepare for the five-match T20I series, the left-arm spinner is hoping the early-season conditions offer some assistance, while stressing the need for his bowlers to adapt quickly and stay in the contest even when the boundaries begin to flow.“ They pack power all the way through and come out with a lot of aggression. As a bowler, you know there aren’t going to be too many dot balls. You have to plan accordingly, assess the conditions and use them to your advantage,” Santner said.The New Zealand captain acknowledged that boundaries would inevitably come against such an aggressive opposition, but stressed that bowlers must focus on the deliveries between them.“Even if you get hit for boundaries, it is about what happens with the balls in between. Those could be wicket-taking deliveries or dot balls. If we can restrict India to around 200 in New Zealand, that might be a good score, considering the power they possess,” he added.The prospect of facing Abhishek, Ishan and Sanju has prompted Santner to emphasise tactical flexibility, particularly during the powerplay. The early-season pitches in Christchurch could offer movement.“If the ball moves, we need to use that to counter their explosive batting. But if the pitch is flat, then we might have to create pressure, by using the bigger boundaries and finding different ways of taking wickets,” he said.Santner acknowledged that the power-packed nature of modern T20 cricket has made life increasingly difficult for bowlers, with even conceding 30-40 runs in a spell potentially representing a good performance.“If you can take two or three wickets for around 30 or even under 40 runs, you are probably doing a very good job. Against someone like Abhishek or Ishan, you know they will come hard from ball one. You have to decide whether that means bowling yorkers, arm balls or taking the ball away from their hitting arc,” he explained.Santner also acknowledged the threat posed by young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Having seen the teenager’s exploits in the IPL, the New Zealand captain expects India’s power-hitters to test his bowlers from the outset.“I’ve seen what he can do at the IPL. Whether it is Sooryavanshi, Abhishek, Ishan or Sanju, India have power throughout the lineup. It will be a challenge to stop him.”Santner also acknowledged that India could arrive with a point to prove following New Zealand’s historic 3-0 Test series triumph on Indian soil and a 2-1 ODI series victory.“You never like losing a series at home. The more you play in places like India, the better equipped you become to handle the conditions. India might have a point to prove, but our job is to play what is in front of us and beat a very good team at home,” he said.With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma continuing to attract enormous attention for the ODIs, Santner expects the tour to bring its share of excitement.“Rohit and Kohli may not be getting any younger, but they are still churning out the runs.”(Watch India tour of New Zealand live and exclusive on Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV starting October 22, 2026).
