New Zealand will be looking to get back to winning ways when they take on India in the first T20 International in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. Victory will also boost the morale of the side ahead of the World T20 in Sri Lanka, starting September 18.
Skipper Ross Taylor feels the return of senior players Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills will help the Black Caps get into groove.
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"New players bring in new energy. Now we are looking forward to it," Taylor said, on the eve of the first of the two T20s.
The skipper is looking to utilize the expertise of the abovementioned trio in sub-continental conditions.
"We have some experienced players in the squad in Oram, Vettori, Mills who have played a lot of cricket in the sub-continent. We would like to see how they go in the next couple of games and also in the World Twenty20 (in Sri Lanka)."
The Black Caps have an all-win 3-0 record against India in the shortest format, but it matters little in conditions suited to the home side, he added.
"It's a record we all would like to keep. But all those games were overseas -- two at home and one in World Twenty20 in 2007. The Indian team plays very well at home. They know the conditions well."
He added that the experience of playing in the IPL would help.
"Knowing the Indian conditions made it a bit easier when we played earlier. But the flip side is they know our players a little better as well. We have plans to combat that," he added.
Taylor said the team is looking forward to doing well in Sri Lanka.
"A lot more cricket is coming up. Not only in the T20 International series, but the World Twenty20 too. As I said, we have some new players coming in. Our World T20 campaign starts now. We are looking forward to how they do here before the World T20.
"We will try a couple of different combinations. It's not experimental but more to give the players' some rest. Whoever plays, every time you play to win," he added," he concluded.
