Cricket: NZ batsmen get the news they didn't want to hear

Doug Bracewell was part of a seam attack that huffed and puffed but failed to break down India in Hyderabad and, unfortunately, it's unlikely to get any easier in Bangalore.

After inspecting the pitch at M Chinnaswamy Stadium for the first time yesterday there appeared to be good news for the New Zealand seam attack.

With clouds in the sky and grass on the wicket, there was some hope seam - an area in which New Zealand can match the hosts - could play a greater part in the second test starting tomorrow.

But like in Hyderabad, where India romped to victory by an innings and 115 runs, spin is likely to come to the fore early and should remain the focus throughout, news some struggling Kiwi batsmen did not want to hear.

Having toiled away for much of the first two days on a lifeless track at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, the initial conditions in Bangalore were a boost for Bracewell, but he believed that would be far from the case come tomorrow.

"I've looked at the wicket and there looks to be a bit on grass on it at the moment, but I'd say they would definitely shave it off," he said.

"Talking to the other guys that have played here a bit, apparently this is quite similar to [Hyderabad's] wicket and takes a bit of turn."

If expected alterations do take place to suit the home side's spin attack, there is one thing not even the BCCI can turn in its team's favour.

If the forecast is to be believed, the cloud cover should continue late in the week. That would aid the prospects of a bowling attack that likes to swing the ball, in particular Trent Boult who successfully moved the ball to remove Sachin Tendulkar last week.

"This overcast weather is also helping us and if it stays like this it might work into our favour a little bit," Bracewell said.

Hyderabad offered much of the same to begin with but the sun came out and further dried an already low and slow wicket.

That saw spin become a determining factor and exposed batsmen who are unaccustomed to facing the likes of Ravi Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha.

"Obviously we don't face as much spin back home as we do when we come to the sub-continent," said Bracewell.

The batsmen had work against spin bowling in the nets yesterday. Dan Vettori and Ronnie Hira, early arrivals for the two-match Twenty20 series, took turns at trying to acclimatise their team-mates to the barrage of slow bowling they are expected to face.

Vettori's appearance set tongues wagging about the possibility of his inclusion against India, but he is still rehabbing the groin injury which kept him out of this test.

Despite being unable to help on the park, Bracewell said Vettori can play his part off the field, considering he plays in Bangalore for six weeks of the year with Royal Challengers in the IPL.