Wellington: There are no half measures for fit-again New Zealand pace spearhead Trent Boult who is ready to challenge India captain Virat Kohli on his return to international cricket during the two-Test series starting here on Friday.
Boult was out of action for the past six weeks due to a fracture on his right hand sustained during the Boxing Day Test against Australia and missed out on the limited-overs leg of the India series. Back for the traditional format, the left-arm fast bowler made his priorities clear ahead of the first Test. “That’s personally why I play the game, to get guys like that (Kohli) out and test myself against them, so I can’t wait to get stuck in. But he’s an exceptional player. Everyone knows how great he is,” Boult said, sending out a warning after landing in the capital city for the opening Test. New Zealand’s last Test series in Australia was a nightmare as they lost 0-3 and India will be a tough test for the Black Caps.
“They are a great side and they are leading the ICC Test Championship. They are very clear on how they wanted to play the game. It was a tough learning curve in Australia. It’s good to see where we are in terms of bouncing back,” said Boult.
The Basin Reserve track will have a lot for the seamers and in conducive conditions, a wily customer like Boult will prove to be a handful for the travellers. “I’m preparing for a solid wicket. It generally is very good here and goes the full distance. I do enjoy playing here and it’s going to be an exciting week building up.” He said. (PTI)
