Indian-born batsman Jeet Raval looks ahead to making his debut for New Zealand in their upcoming tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Jeet Raval, New Zealand batsman: (on joining up with the senior New Zealand cricket team)

"Yeah, it's awesome and it's a nice, relaxed environment, and we've got a little camp, seven-day camp, so it's a nice way to ease into it and all the boys are awesome, been very welcoming and really enjoying my time so far."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Jeet Raval, New Zealand batsman: (on his background and the call-up from New Zealand cricket)

"Bit of a long story, we moved to New Zealand with the family when I was 16, so mum and dad decided that we wanted a bit of a lifestyle change, so we decided to move to Auckland in 2004, and at the start I really, completely hated it. It was a bit of a massive cultural change, I couldn't speak English very well, still can't (laughs), tried to anyway... yeah, but it's been a long hard road over the years, but felt like I'd found a new home in New Zealand and... yeah, and last few years I've been playing a bit of cricket for Auckland, for the (Auckland) Aces in the championship stuff and also Twenty-20s and one-dayers and last couple of years I've scored a few runs and yeah, got the call from Gavin Larsson (New Zealand chief selector) a month ago when I was in the UK playing some club cricket and he said 'yeah, you're going on the tour to Zimbabwe and South Africa' and I was stoked and told my wife first and she was there with me and then I called my dad back home in New Zealand and he was over the moon, so I'm really excited and really happy to be here."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Jeet Raval, New Zealand batsman: (on his first experiences in New Zealand and having to adapt to a new culture)

"My first day at school in New Zealand... Avondale College, 2004... that's all I can remember, because I went to the class, and tried to listen to the teacher, but I just couldn't understand a word, because I couldn't really speak any English when I first came, and it was a massive cultural change and went home and started crying to my mum and said 'let's go back to India. I can't... don't know what's going on here, but then over time it became easier to understand and yeah, I can speak a bit of English here and there now."