Stephen Fleming: How the Blackcaps need to tackle spin in India

Smarting after a 2-0 series defeat to Sri Lanka, the Blackcaps could probably envision much more hospitable destinations to rebuild some confidence than India, where they'll begin a three-Test tour in a fortnight's time.

After struggling against the spin attack of the hosts in Galle over the last month, the New Zealanders will face an even sterner test of their mettle against the Indians, where they'll have an opportunity to prove they've learned some lessons about how to tackle the slower bowlers on pitches will be perfectly curated to maximise the turn of the hosts' formidable bowling line-up.

Former Blackcaps captain Stephen Fleming has a unique understanding of how the subcontinent pitches play, shaped by his days as one of New Zealand's batting greats and further refined over a decade-plus as a coach in the IPL T20 league.

Assessing where the Blackcaps went wrong in Sri Lanka, Fleming noted the batters were too bold with their strokeplay against the spinners and weren't patient enough with their approach.

In a word - the Kiwis need to be more "boring", if they're to have any success against India, he explained.

"What I saw in the series against Sri Lanka was New Zealanders being aggressive, but then they didn't sink into that long period of time of just being boring," Fleming told SENZ's Scotty & Izzy.

"It was almost too aggressive, wanting to take the game on too much. They created a good scoring rate, particularly in the second innings, but just with too much risk. There were guys caught on the boundary a number of times where really that ball should be along the ground - take one and be happy to take a lesser strike rate and a lesser scoring rate, but bat for a longer period of time.

"On reflection, batting wise, that would be something that would go back and look at."

The 111-Test international offered some insight on to what that step-by-step process of establishing yourself at the crease against spin India for a long stay at the crease, which starts with rock-solid defence and dictating terms to the field.

"You've got to find a good defensive technique to be able to deal with the spinning ball firstly. But the way forward is to try and create a field where you can bat for a long period of time," he noted.

"You know spin is going to come at you and one of those ways is to be quite aggressive early. So, you might hit a couple over the top and force the captain to get some of the fielders back.

"Once that happens, you've then got the opportunity to get a way of getting off strike by a nice single down to the fielder that's on the boundary or trusting that good defence.

"That enables the top players to bat for a long period of time and all they do is keep repeating. Take a couple of risks early and then just keep repeating that single. Then if they bring a fielder up, take the risk again.

"So, it's a bit of cat and mouse, but it enables players to bat for a longer period of time. "

The first Test against India starts on October 16.

Listen to the full interview below: