Lockie Ferguson has put his latest setback — a calf injury — behind him and is eager to hit the ground running after joining the New Zealand squad in India for the remaining two T20Is.

“It was a challenging 2025, for sure. But I still want to get better and perform on the world stage. Being in the World Cup picture is nice. I still want to test myself against the best in the world. Rehab sucks, injuries suck. It’s been challenging for the fast bowlers, but we try to do the best we can,” he said.

The 34-year-old acknowledged that managing workload has become central to longevity.

“When I started playing, there were two or three days between matches. Now we’re a little bit more limited. Cricket’s in an interesting space. I feel privileged to be travelling the world to play something I love. I’ll keep trying to do the work and stay on the park as long as possible.”

New Zealand’s bowlers have a tough task on hand to operate against a marauding Indian side on batter-friendly pitches.

“Obviously, we’re doing our homework behind the scenes. But if you get an opportunity to change the game or you feel like you’re having a good day, then it’s important to double down on that. But look, it’s why we play the game. International cricket is not easy.”

He also offered a cheeky solution to tackle Abhishek Sharma, who has made the format his own.

“He’s obviously full of confidence and is playing some outstanding shots. It’s important to review, find areas where he’s a little bit weaker and try to bring an aggressive brand of cricket into what we’re playing. Sometimes it’s best to try to get him off strike, get him at the other end and bowl to the other batter.”

Bowling coach Jacob Oram is hoping that New Zealand can put the recent drubbings behind it and find some form ahead of the T20 World Cup.

“If we win these two games (fourth and fifth T20Is), it would be nice for the overall team confidence. Singing our winning team song after a nice victory against a good side would be cool, but at the same time, you’ve got to look a bit deeper than wins and losses,” Oram said.

“Historically, New Zealand has peaked during ICC events. If we come out better off it (recent losses), and we’re somewhere near the Super Eights, making the semifinals and final (of the T20 World Cup), it will be a great period for us. We have the ability to stay calm amidst the storm that we are currently facing. We don’t get too high or low. We know that this Indian team is so good. We’ve got to make sure that we keep our eye on the long term. I think that’s part of the reason why we are able to peak at ICC events. And if that happens in February-March, it will be great,” Oram added.