India coach John Wright has named a formidable team to take on Central Districts in the tourists' only first class match before the first Test, which starts in Wellington on December 12.
Wright has been reminded by players who toured New Zealand in 1998-99, that the tourists were heavily beaten by Central Districts at the same Napier venue and then went on to be well beaten in the following Test.
India opened their tour with a Max cricket clash against a New Zealand XI. Max cricket, devised by former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe and his brother, New Zealand manager Jeff, is a mini-version of the one-day format, with two innings of 10 overs each.
New Zealand won the slog-fest by 21 runs, while India suffered a knee injury to fast bowler Zaheer Khan, who is sitting out the Central Districts' match, but should be fit for the opening Test.
Wright has named a Test batting line-up, with Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 154 in India's second innings in the seven wicket defeat in Napier four years ago, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly and Vangipurappu Laxman playing.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has been suffering from a virus, has been bracketed with fellow-spinner Murali Kartik.
"We are treating this match as a Test match," Wright said. "Last time we came here we got thrashed and that tour never recovered. We don't want that to happen again."
Former New Zealand international and ex-All Black, Blair Furlong, Central's chief executive, said the pitch in 1998 was a "green top" which had surprised India, who were rolled for 103
"This pitch will give some early help to the seamers, but after that I can seen the Tendulkars and Rahul Dravids getting plenty of runs," Furlong said.
Central Districts have Gloucestershire's former New Zealand opener Craig Spearman in the team. Spearman led Central to victory in 1998 with scores of 85 and 86.
The team, a combined 'minor' association team taking in the bottom half of the North Island (excluding Wellington) and the top half of the South Island, have won one and lost another so far in the New Zealand four-day first class championship.
Central are skippered by New Zealand one-day international Jacob Oram and have Mathew Sinclair, who scored a double century in his debut Test innings against the West Indies in 1999, and sometime international Glen Sulzberger.
They are a workmanlike team, with left-arm medium fast bowler Lance Hamilton, said to be in the New Zealand selectors' sights.
Teams:
India: Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Sanjay Bangar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly (captain), Vangipurappu Laxman, Parthiv Patel, Ajit Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik, Tinu Yohannan, Ashish Nehra.
Central Districts: Jacob Oram (captain), Craig Spearman, Peter Ingram, Mathew Sinclair, Glen Sulzberger, Jamie How, Bevan Griggs, Martyn Sigley, Brent Hefford, Michael Mason, Andrew Schwass, Lance Hamilton.