AHMEDABAD, India, 7 October 2003 — New Zealand will be braced for a spin backlash from hosts India when they meet in a two-Test series starting tomorrow.

The world’s third-ranked Test side are aiming to achieve what world champions Australia could not in 2001 — become only the second team to win a Test series in India in nearly 17 years.

Stephen Fleming’s side have arrived with valuable inputs on countering slow subcontinent pitches gained from their drawn Test series in Sri Lanka in April.

Fleming led from the front with a brilliant 274 not out for the second highest Test score by a New Zealand batsman in the first Colombo Test, superbly countering champion off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan to average 188 in the two-Test series.

New Zealand this time face opponents highly motivated to win what has been dubbed the “revenge series”.

India are determined to avenge their rout in a two-Test series in New Zealand late last year, where they lost both the matches inside three days on underprepared pitches.

Only Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid managed Test fifties as India’s batting floundered in seam-friendly conditions, a factor which also led to their 5-2 defeat in the one-day series. Although their seven-wicket win in the Super Six to knock New Zealand out of this year’s World Cup was seen as some revenge, most Indian players still regard the business as unfinished.

India captain Saurav Ganguly has warned New Zealand that they would find the going tough against off-break Harbhajan Singh and leggie Anil Kumble, both proven match-winners at home.

Playing their first Test for almost a year, India are also using the series to prepare for the tough Test tour of Australia at the turn of the year.

They are set to give uncapped Delhi opening batsman Akash Chopra his Test debut in Ahmedabad in their continued search for a durable player at the top of the order.

Pakistan Decide Not to Complain

About S. Africa’s Hall

Pakistan have decided not to file a complaint about an incident involving South Africa’s all-rounder Andrew Hall and Pakistan’s Yousuf Youhanna in the second One-Day International in Lahore on Sunday.

The pair clashed in the 13th over of Pakistan’s innings and television replays suggested that after the batsman exchanged words with Hall he was elbowed as he took a single.

Hall then confronted him, touching his bat and thrusting his face in Youhanna’s, who responded angrily before umpire Nadeem Ghouri stepped between the players.

Umpire Darrell Hair cautioned them both. On Sunday, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia and chief executive Rameez Raja said on television that the Pakistan team would be filing a complaint with match referee Clive Lloyd.

But PCB sources said the Pakistani team management had changed its mind to avoid bad blood with the South Africans.

Pakistan captain Inzamam ul-Haq said he would not be lodging a complaint.