India open their New Zealand tour with the first T20I at Christchurch on Thursday, and the challenge is as much about conditions as it is about the opposition. Hagley Oval in Christchurch promises seam movement and extra bounce, a world away from the flat tracks India feasted on at home. With only one practice session to adjust, Shreyas Iyer’s side will need to find their footing quickly against a New Zealand attack built to exploit local conditions.

Captain Iyer has made it clear that the opening combination remains untouched, meaning 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may have to wait longer for a look-in. “It’s not like he can walk in right now, because our openers are scoring consistently, and they have won the World Cup,” Iyer said, backing Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma at the top.…