MUMBAI, Oct. 16 -- New Zealand have proved to be formidable opponents for India in Tests. They have beaten India in six of the last eight Tests including the 2021 WTC final. They whitewashed India in India in 2024. The last time the two met in New Zealand (2019/20), the hosts won both Tests. India tour New Zealand again this month for a long limited overs series followed by two Tests - India's second last series in the WTC - and expectedly there's interest surrounding the series. Speaking on the sidelines of the reopening of the Spin & Swing Cricket Academy, headed by Anand Yalvigi, at the Matunga Gymkhana on Thursday, former India assistant coach Sanjay Bangar shared his views on the challenges for the Shubman Gill-led Test team on the upcoming tour. Bangar played in New Zealand during the 2002-03 Test and ODI series and later coached during the 2015 ODI World Cup and 2019 limited overs series. Excerpts: We have two Tests against New Zealand and five against Australia. India have done well overseas, even in England, Australia and South Africa but New Zealand has been a frontier which most teams have not conquered. So, I think that is going to be a motivating factor for this group of players. They play to the dimensions really well, that is No. 1. No. 2, the wickets out there, they sort of take the spinners out of the equation. So, whether India will be having a combination wherein to take 20 wickets and having that seam bowling allrounder, that generally becomes the critical part. And if India's batting clicks in the first innings of the Tests, then there is a possibility (of doing well). These factors are important for any travelling team in New Zealand. Basically, score well and have a pace attack which can take 20 wickets. I think the support bowlers will also be crucial because if Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep play, that leaves the lower order a bit thin. But if those four play together, India have the resources to bowl New Zealand out twice. It all depends on whether everybody remains fit. The good part is that (Jasprit) Bumrah's workload has been managed well leading into this series, which is important if India have to qualify (for the WTC final). I expect India to do well in the home series against Australia. But if India do not have a good NZ series, then India could be out of contention (in the WTC). I think it has settled down quite well. If you think once Rohit (Sharma) and Virat (Kohli) were not part of the scheme of things, it took some time. But now you have Devdutt Padikkal amongst the runs batting at 3, Gill is doing really well. Dhruv Jurel has been a good addition and he has batted well even as a specialist. So, I think if you look at the 6 batters that might play, they do seem to have the experience of performing well in all conditions and add to that if (Ravindra) Jadeja plays at 7 and then you follow it up with 4 fast bowlers or whether they play 3 fast bowlers and 1 pace bowling all-rounder. So, I think that is the most critical part. That number 7 and 8 spot and more so the pace bowling all-rounder becomes critical to India having a good New Zealand series. I don't think it's too much importance attached to the New Zealand series versus what is going to happen in South Africa (in the ODI World Cup). But it is a lead-up to it. It's a quite gradual build-up. If Shreyas(Iyer) is fit and he gets back at No.4, then India has a very settled one-day team. Again, the bowlers especially who are challenging for those spots, they will be looked at into how consistently they can deliver. So, along with Bumrah who are the bowlers who are being identified for the World Cup and how they fare well from here on is going to be one thing which selectors as well as the team management will have a closer eye on....