Rajkot

New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell has credited his preparation at a specialised training facility in Lincoln for helping him adapt to spin-friendly conditions in the subcontinent.

Mitchell said New Zealand Cricket’s pitch marquee facility, designed to simulate overseas conditions, allowed him to work extensively on dusty tracks and develop clear batting plans for Asian surfaces. The setup enables players to recreate match-like conditions even during winter months.

Just one rating point behind Virat Kohli in the ICC ODI batting rankings, the 34-year-old has been in outstanding form in India. He continued that run on Wednesday with an unbeaten 131 off 117 balls, guiding New Zealand to a seven-wicket win in the second ODI and levelling the series.

“There have been many early mornings at the marquee in Lincoln, practising on prepared dusty wickets and trying to work out game plans for this part of the world,” Mitchell said after the match.

“A lot of that hard work happens away from the spotlight, but it’s always rewarding when it pays off.”

Mitchell said his love for international cricket and representing New Zealand across formats keeps him motivated. “I feel fortunate to travel the world and play for my country,” he added.

The right-hander has enjoyed remarkable success in Asia, amassing 1,457 ODI runs at an average of 56.03, including five centuries. In India alone, he has scored 801 runs in 15 matches at an average of 66.75, while in Pakistan he has 576 runs from 12 games.

“As New Zealanders, we grow up playing on green, bouncy wickets. International cricket demands that you adapt your game to different surfaces,” Mitchell said.

“I’m comfortable using different methods footwork, sweeps, and the crease to put bowlers under pressure.”

Mitchell also praised India’s KL Rahul for his unbeaten 112, calling it a well-paced innings under pressure. He highlighted his own 162-run partnership with Will Young, lauding Young’s composure against the new ball.

“India came hard early, and Young handled it superbly. He absorbed the pressure, rotated strike well and picked boundaries at the right time,” he said.

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Despite benefiting from some loose bowling, Mitchell backed India’s spinners, describing Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja as world-class performers capable of turning games on their own.

“They’ve troubled teams before and will do so again. We were just fortunate to build partnerships and apply pressure on the day,” he added.