India off-spinner Axar Patel is well aware of the threat that New Zealand possess and therefore, is leaving no stone unturned in his preparations for the upcoming home Test series.

Patel said the visiting Blackcaps might struggle on spin-friendly wickets in India but that doesn’t mean that the hosts can let their guard down when they face the World Test Champions from November 25.

This will be India’s first Test assignment since their defeat against New Zealand in the ICC WTC Final in Southampton in August this year.

“They (New Zealand) perform better in seaming conditions than in pitches favouring spin. That will be challenging for them; we have the home advantage.

“At the same time, they’re playing really well in both red-ball and white-ball formats they defeated us in the World Test Championship final and therefore we can’t take them lightly. We have to be ready with our plans,” Patel told Rashtra News.

Patel was in red-hot form with the ball in his debut Test series against England earlier this year in which he bagged a whopping 27 wickets from 3 games, including 3 five-wicket hauls and a six-for in Ahmedabad.

The 27-year-old wants to carry the same form in this month’s series against New Zealand.

“I will try to perform as well as I’d done during the Test series at home against England. It will be a good series against New Zealand,” Patel said.

India, who crashed out of the recent T20 World Cup in the Super 12s, are gearing up to host New Zealand in a series of 3 T20Is in Jaipur, Ranchi and Kolkata from November 17 before the two Tests in Kanpur and Mumbai on November 25 and December 3, respectively.

India will be led by Ajinkya Rahane in the first Test in place of Virat Kohli, who has been rested for the opening game but will return to lead the team in the second match. First-team regulars Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant have been rested for the entire series.