New Zealand's Devon Conway using kitty litter on wickets to tackle Indian spinners in the WTC final

India and New Zealand are gearing up for the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship final. The Ageas Bowl in Southampton will host the summit clash, which gets underway on June 18. Holding the top two places in the ICC Test rankings, both India and New Zealand have done exceptionally well in red-ball cricket lately, and one can expect a cracker of the contest. Like many players, Kiwi batsman Devon Conway is also determined to make a mark, but the southpaw has a unique preparation method.

Although the English tracks are known to favour the fast bowlers, India has two of the finest spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, who can be dangerous on any track. Aware of this fact, Conway is using kitty litter on practice pitches to hone his skills against the turning deliveries. For the unversed, a kitty litter is a granulated clay which absorbs waste products of pets like cat or dogs.

Playing spin bowling is all about being positive: Devon Conway

Conway uses the odd to created rough on the tracks and get the ball turn. “Basically the idea is to get the ball to sort of spit out of the rough. It’s a bit harder to play, but good practice. It’s about finding a gameplan to combat that and just practice how you’re going to play in the game,” Conway told Katey Martin on Spark Sport’s The Show Downstairs.

The dashing batsman further highlighted the need of being positive while playing spin bowling. “When it does roughen up and the ball does spit and turn a lot, it’s all about being positive. If you’re going to look to just defend throughout, at some point there might be a ball that’s going to have your number,” said the 29-year-old Conway.

Making his international debut, the left-handed batsman has so far played three ODIs and 14 T20Is, scoring 225 and 473 runs respectively. Conway likes to attack bowlers from the outset, and his ability to stay at the crease for long makes him an even more significant asset. Hence, he is one of three uncapped players in New Zealand’s squad for the WTC final.

Before meeting India in the much-awaited clash, New Zealand will lock horns with hosts England in a two-match Test series. The Kiwis indeed have a great chance to prepare and also to identify their best combination. Conway might get an opportunity to make his Test debut during the England series, and he should be ready to bag the chance with both hands.