New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell said the team is focused on the upcoming white-ball series against India and they will shift their focus to the T20 World Cup after the series. The Kiwis will begin their India tour with a three-match ODI series, followed by a five-match T20I series against the hosts, which would be a perfect platform for them to prepare for the T20 World Cup.

The Blackcaps have always punched above their weight in the major ICC tournaments and have named a spin-heavy squad for the World Cup.

“We’ll look at the T20 World Cup in a month. For now, we’ll worry about playing an ODI series against India, and they’ve got some pretty good bowlers themselves with the likes of Bumrah and Chakravarthy,” Mitchell told the media during New Zealand Cricket’s Golf Day organised by TCM Sports.

Mitchell said they are going to stay in the present, and their main focus is the ODI series against the Indians.

“A really key value for us as the New Zealand cricket team is being where our feet are and that means being in the present and what the challenge is at that moment.

“That’s the exciting thing is we’ve got three ODIs against the world-class Indian team in Indian conditions in front of full crowds. So we’ll be where our feet are. We’ll control the now and we’ll look forward to the World Cup in a month,” he added.

The right-handed batter said they will try to adapt to the Indian conditions and hone their batting skills while facing the spinners.

“I’ve been playing international cricket for a little while now and as a part of playing international cricket you have to adapt to different conditions all around the world,” he said.

“It’s a great challenge when you come into these parts. As a New Zealander, you don’t grow up on surfaces like this. So I’ll be able to draw on experiences that I’ve had in the last few years and take on the positives such as the ODI World Cup in 2023,” he added.

The first ODI between India and New Zealand will be played on Sunday at Vadodara.