New Zealand’s skipper Latham wants side to play with freedom in India

Tom Latham takes over as New Zealand captain for Test series in India, aiming to play aggressive, fearless cricket.

New Zealand's new Test captain Tom Latham feels the only way to challenge an almost invincible India in their own backyard is by playing fearless cricket.

Latham has taken over the captaincy from Tim Southee ahead of the three-match Test series in India beginning on October 16 in Bengaluru.

"It's an exciting challenging going over to India and once we can go over there, hopefully play with a bit of freedom, bit of no fear and try and take it to them. If we do that hopefully, it gives ourselves a good chance," said Latham ahead of the team's departure to India on Friday.

While India have won their last 18 series at home, New Zealand came to India on the back of four successive series defeats in the World Test Championship, most recently against Sri Lanka. New Zealand have won only two Tests in India with their last one coming back in 1988.

"In India we've seen teams that have done well out there in the past have been quite aggressive towards them, especially with the bat they've looked to play a few shots, but also put them under pressure...rather than sitting and waiting for something to happen.

"We'll decide on how we want to play when we get over there, but guys have got plans around how they like to approach things and hopefully we can fine-tune those." Despite the 0-2 defeat in Sri Lanka, left-handed Latham reckons they got a few things right in the island nation.

"We actually did some really good things in Sri Lanka. We fell on the wrong side of the results but there were some good things. The approach we had with the bat, apart from that one innings, I thought we played really well.