Andrew Alderson: The agony of decision for our groundsmen

Trent Boult. Photo / Getty Images

To paraphrase car pioneer Henry Ford: make the pitches for the India-New Zealand series any colour, as long as they're green.

That will give the hosts their best chance of a credibility-enhancing victory against the world's second-ranked side in February. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag might be absent from the Indian batting line-up these days but the incumbents have proven their capacity for sustained batting in the first test in Johannesburg after seeing off South Africa's Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vern Philander - the best pace attack in the world.

Cheteshwar Pujara (second innings) and Virat Kohli (first innings) have scored centuries and had established a 191-run third-wicket partnership heading into the third day overnight. Rohit Sharma at No.5 produced two centuries in their 2-0 series domination of the West Indies last month. The New Zealand attack, led by Trent Boult and Tim Southee, will get no better opportunity to prove themselves in front of the sport's largest television audience.

It's hardly treating the visitors unfairly. India also has a useful attack. Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan are proven performers and newcomer Mohammed Shami took nine for 118 in the second West Indies test. Shami's reverse swing was a talking point. The test might just be decided inside four rather than five days.

International cricketers have to be capable of playing on any surface - New Zealand battled through two tests on barren tarmac in Dhaka and Chittagong recently - so making the Indian side adapt seems a pragmatic option.

Perhaps the 2002-03 Indian tour could be used as a precedent. That summer is remembered for inclement early weather where batsmen worked hard to negate sideways movement. The tests finished inside three and four days respectively. That's too extreme but the New Zealanders don't need a repeat of 2008-09 where flatter wickets enabled the Indians to flex their batting muscle and keep the hosts out of contention in a 1-0 victory over three tests.

Speaking to the Herald on Sunday this week, New Zealand bowling coach Shane Bond said it doesn't matter where New Zealand play in the world, they're always up against home advantage. He said the second test wicket of the current series in Wellington was perfect and visiting teams should expect wickets which are "green and seam around a bit".

New Zealand Cricket and the groundsmen at the series venues of the Basin Reserve and Eden Park now have a choice: work to help the New Zealand team and gain status internationally or appease India, the juggernaut of the game.