By Mark Richardson New Zealand batsman in India

Well, we managed to draw the first test - not a bad effort first up in India although we were scrambling for the majority of the game.

My concerns about being able to bowl the Indians out on their pitches were pretty much realised.

Craig McMillan justified his recall in the first Test

The team has made a competition out of our strategising for each Indian batsman. You score points for how many runs below their existing Test average we can dismiss them for.

It was a disappointing Test on a personal level at Ahmedabad, although I did receive two pretty good nuts [deliveries].

That is cricket though and poor games are inevitable, it just puts a bit more acid on my next effort.

By contrast, it was a good Test for Craig McMillan, who managed two very good half centuries, both made under pressure firstly from the match situation and secondly he was returning from being dropped.

Macca is a classy player and fair play to him for winning his middle order place back.

It was one of the best atmospheres I've played in and although the locals were disappointed with the attendance, those that were there made one hell of a racket.

It can't be great being the poor fella whose wicket brings Tendulkar to the crease because as soon as you are out your own crowd goes absolutely bonkers.

Incidentally, Tendulkar made seven and eight, so we'd better watch out in the second Test.

Two failures might have put Tendulkar on his mettle

So it's all to play for at Mohali, which is the situation we hoped we'd find ourselves in.

It is the highest altitude city in India and as such has a climate more suited to our lads and has in the past produced pitches with a little help to the seamers.

Looking at the wicket two days before the game, it is already bone dry and cracking; but did we really expect anything different?!

In these conditions we face two big challenges.

The first is obvious - getting 20 wickets.

The second is of equal importance and that is score at a quick enough pace against the spinners Harbhajan and Kumble to give us enough time in the game to get our 20 wickets.

Not many teams have come here and won a Test series - New Zealand never have.

Making history is not easy in India.