One of the reasons New Zealand are expected to fare better than South Africa in Indian conditions is that they have three spinners, three varieties of spinners, two of whom have had success in India in the shortest format of the game. On the other hand, though, Indias batsmen are expected to have improved their game on such tracks. They will be expected to do better than last year, when only Ajinkya Rahane managed to score a hundred and average over 35. It wont be easy, though, should the pitches be similar.Anil Kumble, Indias coach, spoke of the challenges faced by not just Indian batsmen, but any modern batsman batting out of his comfort zone, two days before the start of the first Test in Kanpur.It is quite challenging for a modern-day cricketer to keep changing formats, Kumble said. Invariably, when you are playing the shorter format, its in favour of the batsmen. There is hardly anything for the bowler. So, obviously, when they come to play in a Test match, irrespective of the conditions, seam or spin…We have seen modern cricketers, who, if you look at their records in previous years, they were all good players of fast bowling. But they have struggled on seaming tracks because of what the modern batsman encounters. That goes with all teams. But one good thing we have had is we are coming off a Test series, and we have a long Test season at home. So itll only get better. And in terms of our preparations, we have spent a lot of time focusing on preparing to play spinners, and how to respond to playing spinners. And it will only improve, which youll notice as the series goes by.According to Kumble, the problem persists despite knowing what to expect in todays world of analysis. I dont think there is any intrigue left, but the challenge is to adapt to those conditions as quickly as possible, he said. Its equally the same for the home team as well because youre playing so much of cricket. Its all about adapting to whatever challenges are forthcoming. Yes, the home team certainly has the advantage of knowing and playing in these conditions, growing up in these conditions.For a foreign team, since they travel so much - and even for the Indian team now because we have travelled so much - the conditions are no longer alien. Its all about how good and how committed you are, and what kind of quality cricket you can put across on the park.Indias preparations have been thorough. They assembled in Kanpur on September 17, five days before the first Test, and began with their fitness tests. Knowing they could have to face a lot of left-arm pace in the series from Trent Boult and Neil Wagner, they called up Delhis Pradeep Sangwan and Rajasthans Aniket Choudhary to bowl in the nets. They were helped by two pretty good local left-arm quicks. Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav, who is from Kanpur, was at the nets too.The training sessions were long and intense. On Monday, they went on for at least two hours either side of their press conference, virtually spending the whole day at the ground. Kumble said they were not underestimating the opposition.The New Zealand team have done really well, Kumble said. They are not just good at home, but they tour really well, and were aware of that. The fact that they have three spinners, yes, we watch them - at least I watched them - two of the three spinners in the World T20. They played a significant role in New Zealands progress. We respect the opposition and we know that New Zealand is a very potent team, not just in the spin department, but all-round as well. We certainly respect their all-round ability. They have different variations in their spin attack - left-arm spinner, offspinner, legspinner. That is something you dont often see in a foreign team. Air Force 1 For Sale . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Air Force 1 Cheap Canada . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. http://www.airforce1canada.com/ . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. Cheap Air Force 1 Canada . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Air Force 1 Cheap Wholesale .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. SAN DIEGO -- When the San Francisco Giants arrive at Petco Park to open a four-game set on Thursday, the San Diego Padres figure to fling out a welcome mat after clubs last meeting.The Giants are still scratching their heads over getting swept by the visiting Padres from Sept. 12-14.With a perfect opportunity to gain ground, or keep pace, with first-place Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco was blanked.Were at that time, you got to grind it out and find a way to get through this, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said after the Padres held his offense to five runs in three games. We got to recover, this team has done a good job at that. They know whats at stake. Its a tough group. Theyve played under pressure like no other team.The pressure is increased after the Giants dropped two of three to the Dodgers the past three days. Los Angeles (86-66) all but sealed the National League West title, grabbing a six-game lead with 10 to play.San Francisco, meanwhile, slipped into a three-way tie for the NLs two wild-card spots. The Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets are all 80-72.The Padres (64-88) are concluding their sixth consecutive losing season, and they are tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for last place in the NL West. San Diego took two of three games between the teams this week, though Arizona won the series finale 3-2 Wednesday.Bochy and the Giants turns to right-hander Jeff Samardzija (11-10, 3.97 ERA) in the series opener against the Padres. San Diego will counter with southpaw Christian Friedrich (5-10, 4.78 ERA).The Padres ffigure to field a new-look team after calling up four of their top position prospects on Wednesday: outfielders Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe, catcher Austin Hedges and infielder Carlos Asuaje.ddddddddddddEveryone is going to play and everyone is going to get an opportunity, manager Andy Green said.Asuaje, who led the Pacific Coast League with 172 hits, is ready.For all us to be called at the same time is great for me and for the organization as a whole, he said.The quartets call-up was delayed as they remain in the minors to win Pacific Coast League title with Triple-A El Paso.I think it adds so much value for us and gave us so much experience of building a winning culture here in San Diego, and that is what we want to do, Asuaje said.Through a translator, Margot said he is thrilled to be a big-leaguer. He was a key piece in the November 2015 trade that sent closer Craig Kimbrel to the Boston Red Sox.We talked about getting here at the same time, he said of arriving with Asuaje, Renfroe and Hedges. We are all very happy to be here.Those four join two of their former El Paso teammates, infielder Ryan Schimpf and outfielder Alex Dickerson.I think we learned how to win together, and that was when Dickerson and Schimpf were there, Hedges said.They will be here and there in the seasons final weeks, sprinkled in various spots. Green said only first baseman Wil Myers will continue to play on a regular basis. ' ' '