KOLKATA (India), July 30: Indian captain Saurav Ganguly has warned New Zealand to be prepared for a tough series when they tour India this October.

“It will not be an easy series for the Kiwis,” Ganguly told reporters after a ceremony in his honour given by Kolkata’s mayor.

“We are tough opponents on home soil and we have been playing well of late. We beat New Zealand at the World Cup as well.”

Ganguly’s team will get a chance to atone for their dismal tour of New Zealand late last year when they were thrashed 2-0 in the Test series and 5-2 in the one-dayers.

But the Indian captain, who led the team to the World Cup final in South Africa in March, ruled out making tailor-made tracks to help their main strike bowlers, leg-spinner Anil Kumble and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

“We don’t play on turners any more. For the last two years we have not been preparing wickets that give significant turn. We have been preparing more pace-friendly wickets,” he said.

India’s pace attack has looked more complete this year with left-arm seamers Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra earning permanent places to support the experienced Javagal Srinath.—Reuters