New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has admitted that playing India in any format “is one of the toughest challenges in the game” of cricket. New Zealand are in India to play three T20I matches and two Test matches, starting from November 17.

New Zealand have been a thorn in the flesh for India in the ICC tournaments. They knocked out India in the semifinal of the World Cup 2019 before defeating them in the final of the World Test Championship Final 2021.

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The most recent encounter between the two teams during the T20 World Cup 2021 saw New Zealand prevailing over the Asian giants. But still, Williamson finds India the biggest challenge.

“When you play against India, it is one of the biggest challenges in the game and all formats, the depth they have in their country and the quality they have throughout is something that is incredible and it is the reason where they are in world cricket,” Williamson in a video posted on the Blackcaps Twitter handle.

Kane Williamson has opted to take a rest from the T20I series to focus on the upcoming Test series, which will be a part of the World Test Championship 2023. Tim Southee will captain the Blackcaps in his absence.

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Kyle Jamieson has also opted out of the T20I series owing to focus on the Test series.

The three-match T20I series will begin from November 17 in Jaipur, before Ranchi and Kolkata will host the second and third T20I respectively. Kanpur and Mumbai are in line to host the two Test matches later on.

New Zealand lost to Australia in the final of the T20 World Cup 2021 in Dubai. This was New Zealand’s third World Cup final in the white-ball cricket in the last six years. They lost in all three of those. However, they won the World Test Championship 2021 by defeating India in the final in Southampton.