Bangladesh tour was the turning point - Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson, the youngest New Zealand batsman to score a century on Test debut, has said the Bangladesh tour was the turning point in his career thus far. Williamson made ducks in his first two ODIs in the tri-series in Sri Lanka and started the Bangladesh series - which New Zealand lost 0-4 - with a score of 13 before he made a century in the next game to start his revival.

"In Bangladesh I was very nervous initially, and there were times when I completely froze," Williamson said. "I said to myself, hang on, if I'm going to get out anyways, I might as well be confident while doing it." When he arrived in India after that Bangladesh series, Williamson felt he had acquired "confidence and loads of patience".

Williamson said he was prepared for the Indian conditions. "We knew before coming here we have to face top-class spin bowling. Patience was the key. We had prepared very hard for it and it has paid off," he added. "Personally for me, it was about getting my head around the whole experience and treating it like another game. I realised playing my own game was the key."

Williamson, who resumed his innings on 87, hit three fours on the fourth morning to reach the landmark but he said all he was trying to do was to remain patient. "I actually was trying to stay disciplined and patient; just trying to put the ball away if it was there to be put away. The runs came in easy, so I didn't have to take any risks.

"I am absolutely happy. The bowlers got a nice rest because we batsmen put up a nice score. It gave the bowlers good confidence and it was a great effort from Chris [Martin] because we really had only one seamer." Hamish Bennett and Jesse Ryder were injured and couldn't bowl today.

New Zealand last won a Test in India in 1988 but Williamson said his team was confident of a possible result when they turned up to play today. "Our boys played aggressive cricket and with the wicket deteriorating and aiding some turn, we thought there might be a result. And that's the way it has turned out now. I don't know if we knew if the ball was going to do too much; we put it demanding areas and we got the result."

Martin rocked India with a five-wicket haul to leave them tottering at 82 for 6. Williamson felt India perhaps made the error of trying to score quickly. "The Indians may have wanted to increase the pace at which they scored. That's probably the reason why they lost so many wickets."