JOIN USNew Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee today said that his side will go into the second and final Test against India in its bid to keep the visitors winless on their tour here.
After losing the ODI series 0-4, India slumped to a 40-run defeat in the first Test at Auckland.
"They have obviously had a disappointing tour but are too good a side to roll over. They'll come hard and they will want to have a win on the tour. They are a far better side than they have shown on this tour so far," said Southee.
"They have a lot to prove in this last Test and have got a lot of quality players. I am sure we are going to have to up our game. They'll come out and look to finish their tour on a high. Hopefully, we can keep them winless on their trip to New Zealand. Clean sweep is on our mind," he added, two days ahead of the match at Basin Reserve.
He said that the Kiwis were preparing as well as they could against the Indians.
"We have had a low-key couple of days, guys have reflected on the first Test and what a special achievement it was. Cricket is a sport where you cannot get too far ahead. It can always come around and bite you. We are focusing on the next couple of days leading into the next Test and prepare as well as we can," said the bowler.
The square at the Basin Reserve looks absolutely green and Southee said it was tough to differentiate between the pitch and the outfield.
"It is a bit tough to see the difference between the pitch and outfield at the moment. It is usually a pretty good deck here. We will have to see how it is on the morning of the match. It is still another couple of days and a bit of sunlight on it will round that off a bit I am sure.
"But the bowlers have a spring in their step having a look at that. We are lucky enough to know the conditions. We have played here not that long ago against the West Indies. So it is not a hell lot of changes for us," he said.