Former New Zealand opener Mark Richardson has likened competing against the Indian cricket team to playing "golf against your boss".
The left-hander, who played international cricket between 2000 and 2004, used the analogy to probably hint at the power India enjoys in world cricket and the fact that no one wants to rub Virat Kohli & Co the wrong way.
The Kane Williamson-led New Zealand will take on India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton from June 18.
"I'd look at it from who you want to perform individually against. I look at India at the moment, and it's like playing golf against your boss. You're allowed to win but just in the right way. You know, we stitched them up in New Zealand a couple of times and it always felt a little bit dirty afterwards. It didn't feel like we'd really beaten them," the 49-year-old Richardson told Spark Sport.
Richardon was referring to New Zealand's 2-0 victory over India at home last year. The left-hander, who played 38 Tests and scored 2776 runs with four centuries and 19 half-centuries, said that the Black Caps' biggest test was competing against the Australians.
"(Against) England, yes - they invented the game and you're always playing for your place as a cricket team, I guess. But Australia to me was like the proving ground for a New Zealand cricketer.
You went there to prove your mettle and I did it and I'll take that to the grave actually. I'd probably still need help over what happened in Australia. I think they still hold it over us. Even the very best have underperformed against Australia," said Richardson who failed in Australia, scoring 200 runs in five Tests at an average 22.22 against one of the best sides in cricket history.
The Kiwis suffered a 0-3 whitewash at the hands of Aussies during the 2019-20 series, with prolific run-getter Williamson managing just 57 runs in four innings.