David Leggat: Dhoni delivers strong line of spin

New Zealand should have listened closely to Indian captain MS Dhoni's comments after the drawn second test at Hyderabad on Tuesday night.

If they did, they'll have an inkling of what to expect when the teams pitch up in Nagpur to decide the three-test series, starting on Saturday.

India might well be surprised to be locked 0-0 going to the finale against a team tonked 4-0 in an ODI series by Bangladesh in their last international outing.

Sure, that was a different form of cricket, but this was not the way this test rubber was supposed to pan out, at least in their eyes.

But New Zealand will be delighted. They've been beaten only once in their past nine tests in India going back 11 years, but there were grim portents after the dismal series in Bangladesh.

Safe to say the world No 1 team were expected to ease past New Zealand.

The events of the past 10 days' play, albeit on a couple of pitches where run gathering was easier than in other parts of the cricket world, have shown New Zealand still possess scrapping qualities.

And they have reminded themselves how much easier test life is when the top six batsmen are doing their job.

Brendon McCullum's double century was a terrific innings from a player whose credentials as a test opener had been seriously questioned. He was smart enough to make the point that it's only a start.

The ability to switch from his default position of bristling aggression to a more measured mode was impressive.

His technique boded well, he kept his head and although there will be more demanding pitch conditions ahead, he has made a decisive early statement. His timing was good too, given his decision to give up the wicketkeeping gloves for five-day cricket.

Throw in a gritty double from Tim McIntosh, rebounding from the ignominy of a first test pair and with his test future most assuredly in the balance, an encouraging return for Martin Guptill, more runs from Jesse Ryder and another fine composed performance from Kane Williamson and it will have run a seam of fresh self-belief through the side.

Back to Dhoni.

Old India hands will know the feeling of turning up at a venue on the subcontinent and discovering a pitch made to order for the hosts.

This usually takes the form of a "bunsen burner", cricket slang for a turning strip tailored to the twirly men - seldom in short supply in India.

In 1988, the test series began at Bangalore. When India named an XI with four spinners, one of whom opened the bowling, New Zealand knew the score.

They were rolled for 189 and 164, lost by a mile, with the spinners taking 17 of 20 New Zealand wickets.

So when Dhoni said before Nagpur, "Hopefully the wicket over there will assist the spinners a bit more - that is what we are expecting", this was not exactly code on the Enigma scale.

What Dhoni wants, Dhoni usually gets, in India anyway. Pitches with more in them for the bowlers than the past two are a good thing. That said, New Zealand should prepare for a demanding examination.

New Zealand coach Mark Greatbatch might quietly be chuckling, having opined before the tour that two draws in India were the objective. He didn't specify the third outcome.

Having twice squandered situations which they could have turned decisively to their advantage, New Zealand shouldn't feel intimidated.

An engrossing showdown is in prospect, and in a place almost certainly more conducive to producing a victory than the past two - one way or the other.