CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 23: The last time India toured New Zealand, they were done in by seaming wickets that made batting miserable. The visitors failed to cross 200 in both Tests and lost the series 0-2. In the one-dayers, they were beaten 2-5. However, there is good news this time around if a couple in the New Zealand camp are to be believed.

Top order batsman Ross Taylor played down home advantage and said the wickets will not be loaded in favour of the Kiwis. "I think a lot of people have made a lot of the wickets the last time they were here (in 2003). I think the wickets have improved a lot since then.

"I don’t think the Indians need to worry about green, seaming wickets. It shows in our domestic form. The little dibbly-dobbly bowlers aren’t having as much success as they had five or 10 years ago. It is good for New Zealand cricket that the bowlers have to work a bit harder for their wickets and I am sure over the next month or so, the Indians will see how our conditions have changed," he said on Monday.

"There will be a little bit of getting used to for the Indians but our wickets aren’t as bouncy as Australia. I am sure after the first two T20 games, they wil get used to the bounce and in the nets as well. That won’t be a factor come the first one-dayer. It will be interesting to see how it goes," Ross added.

Coach Andy Moles feels his bowlers will have to bend their backs to extract something from the wickets. "India are coming here from a series in Sri Lanka. So if we can get the ball to bounce a little bit it could work for us," he said.

It’s all about can we raise our game and carry out the plans that we want to put in place. If we do that, then we believe we will be competitive," Moles said.