India vs New Zealand 2016: Tom Latham delighted with New Zealand's performance on opening day of warm-up game

Expressing his delight after the New Zealand batsmen impressed on the opening day of their warm-up game against Mumbai, 24-year-old Tom Latham, who himself scored 55, said that it was very crucial that the Kiwi batsmen spent as much time as they spent out in the middle on Day 1 against the Ranji giants ahead of the first Test against India which begins at Kanpur from September 22.

Put into bat after losing the toss at the Feroz ShahKotla stadium in New Delhi, the New Zealand batsmen survived the early assistance offered to the fast bowlers and notched up 324 runs in just 75 overs as they adopted an aggressive approach in their first innings to counter the spin threat.

All the nine New Zealand batsmen who came out to the middle reached double figures and Latham was delighted that most of the players got an opportunity of batting on Indian pitches early on in their tour.

"All we can do is play with whatever surface we have got. I think the time guys spent in the middle was crucial for everyone to adapt to the conditions and familiarise themselves with their game plans. Obviously, it might turn a little bit more (in the first Test) but we have got what we have got out here," Latham said. “The way guys adapted to conditions was important.”

Latham revealed that it was a planned move to attack the Mumbai spinners as the ball was not turning that much but expects the condition to be much different for the opening Test at the Green Park stadium.

“The ball was not turning that big. So using the feet and coming down the wicket to hit over the top was a good method. Most of the guys spent enough time in the middle, which was good for our preparation. Early on, there was a little bit of shape. We knew that the new ball will be crucial for both teams. If both teams can use that, there is a chance of getting wickets early on. Hopefully, our bowlers can do that tomorrow morning," he said.

Latham, who would be playing his first Test in India next week, got first-hand experience of how crucial a role the weather can play over here but is hopeful that he will get used to the harsh conditions as well as the pitches in time for the series opener.

"That morning session was very hot. Probably one of the hottest I have batted in. The amount of sweat and the amount of time you change your gloves. Been here a few days and probably have not adapted to the heat quite yet but I am sure a day out in the park tomorrow will help us acclimatise fully," he said.

"Also, if you spend time at the crease, you will get the runs (here in India). I think it is more about guys applying their game plan and getting used to the conditions. Certainly, we got what we needed here and that puts us in good steps ahead of the first Test," he added.