Mitchell Santner's 'Revenge' Verdict As India Play New Zealand Next With WTC On Mind

By Suresh

**Santner Sets Up the Rematch: India Tour NZ With WTC Weight on Shoulders** Namaste, cricket family. 🙏 Let me set the rhythm here, because this series has a certain *taal* to it — a cycle of unfinished business waiting to resolve. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has opened up about the upcoming three-format tour, and there's a quiet hunger in the air. The Black Caps have been India's bogey side in recent years — they swept a three-match ODI series back in January, and in 2024 they pulled off that historic 3-0 Test whitewash on Indian soil. That stings. And India arrive in the Kiwi backyard with one thing on their mind: settling the score. **The schedule, note it down:** - Whiteball campaign kicks off **Oct 22** — five T20Is and five ODIs, running through **Nov 15** - The two-match Test series follows, Wellington opening **Nov 19-23**, with the decider in Christchurch **Nov 27-Dec 1** **The WTC angle matters:** this isn't just pride at stake. NZ sit third in the standings, India fifth. Every run, every wicket carries championship weight. Santner, when pressed on whether India come seeking *revenge*, simply smiled — "They might be..." — but made clear he expects a fiercely contested battle across all formats. He flagged the difference in conditions: NZ pitches may offer more **green seamers** and seam-friendly assistance compared to what India faced at home. Yet he wouldn't mince words about India's quality — "pretty good" bowling attack in both whiteball and redball. A keenly contested series indeed. The tempo is being set. 🎶 *What's your take — can India avenge the whitewash, or do the Kiwis reign at home once more? Let's discuss.* Source: NDTV Sports