Black Caps aiming to out-spin India

New Zealand will look to dampen India's celebrations of their 500th Test by unleashing a potent spin attack of their own when the three-match series opens in Kanpur on Thursday.

The Blackcaps are faced with a daunting task against a side that has won nine of its last 10 home Tests - showing they are virtually unbeatable on made-to-order turning pitches.

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The bone-dry wicket at Kanpur's Green Park stadium is expected to provide another bonanza for India's accomplished spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra and Ravindra Jadeja.

The triumvirate fashioned a 3-0 rout of South Africa last year, but New Zealand have the firepower to answer India with three quality spinners of their own in leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, off-break bowler Mark Craig and left-armer Mitchell Santner.

India will remember Santner and Sodhi as the duo which destroyed them at the World Twenty20 earlier this year when, on a rank turner in Nagpur, the hosts collapsed to 79 all out chasing a seemingly modest New Zealand score of 7-126. 

Santner grabbed 4-11 in four overs and Sodhi took 3-18 as the Indians were shot out in 18.1 overs, a feat current Indian coach Anil Kumble said indicated that New Zealand will not be pushovers even in the longer format.

"You don't often see a foreign team with such variety in their spin attack," said Kumble, himself a leg-spinning great whose 619 wickets makes him India's leading Test bowler.

"We are aware that New Zealand are not just good at home but they tour really well. They are a very potent team, not just in the spin department, but all-round as well. We certainly respect their all-round ability."

For a team that has won just two Tests on Indian soil - the last one way back in 1988 - Kumble's words will encourage Kane Williamson's tourists to turn up with confidence against the favourites.

Playing all three spinners alongside two seamers could limit New Zealand's batting options, but it remains a viable option since the tourists will be without the injured duo of strike bowler Tim Southee and allrounder James Neesham.

Southee was ruled out of the series with an ankle injury and Neesham will miss the first Test due to a damaged rib, leaving Trent Boult and Neil Wagner to share the new ball. 

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson acknowledged the key to beating India was to put up a big total in the first innings, allowing the bowlers enough runs to play against.

"If you don't score you are going to die in a hole and we have seen sides come here, do that and look back and regret it," Hesson said.

"That does not mean you are reckless, it just means that within your game plan you find ways to score. It's about what you're able to achieve while you're out there, rather than just trying to bat longer."

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Hesson said the fact that New Zealand had won just two Tests in India meant players needed to adjust quickly to the unforgiving hot and humid weather and spinning pitches.

"India is a tough place to come and win, as it is for any touring side," Hesson said. "And India are playing good cricket at the moment, but we have got a group of cricketers who will be highly competitive.

"That's our challenge - to be highly competitive and stay in the game for long periods of time. Then, anything can happen." 

The three-match series starts a busy home season for Virat Kohli's India which also includes five Tests against England later this year and four more against Australia in February-March.

"This season will be career-defining for the players," Kohli said on match-eve. "This season is a phase where we can lay a foundation where Test cricket will go as far as India is concerned."

India have an added incentive going into the series. Currently ranked second in the ICC Test table, India will displace Pakistan at the top if they take the series against the Blackcaps.

Die-hard fans expect nothing less from an Indian team that rolled over the then number one South Africa last year to build on the 4-0 demolition of Australia before that.

But New Zealand could spring a surprise the hosts have not seen on their own soil since Alastair Cook's England came from behind to win 2-1 in 2012.