Champions Trophy: New Zealand batters call up local left-arm spinners to prepare for Kuldeep contest todayheadline

Dubai: New Zealand on Saturday called up two local left-arm wrist spinners to bowl to senior batter Tom Latham and all-rounder Michael Bracwell at the nets to prepare for a possible contest against India’s Kuldeep Yadav in their Champions Trophy match here. Kuldeep, the left-arm wrist spinner, mainly operates in the middle overs where Latham and Bracwell often bat.

“It’s (the DICS pitch) playing a little bit slow and there’s obviously a good deal of turn. I think it’s going to be an interesting match-up,” said New Zealand all-rounder Glenn Phillips in the pre-match press conference here.

“They (India) have got three quality spinners, and it’s all about rotating the strike and taking the game deep.”

The two local players called up to bowl to New Zealand batters are 15-year-old Ishan Rajesh, who is a UAE Under-16 camper from Zenith club, and Nilansh Keshwani, a UAE probable.

Kuldeep has been India skipper Rohit Sharma’s go-to bowler in the middle overs to stem the run flow or to fetch a crucial breakthrough.

New Zealand will face India in the final league match on Sunday to determine the toppers of Group A. The Kiwis also engaged in a light practice session at the ICC Academy here but former skipper and batting mainstay Kane Williamson, pacers Will O’Rourke and Kyle Jamieson did not attend the nets.