Our challenge is to build partnership at top in next games: NZ coach

New Zealand coach Gary Stead Saturday said that the biggest challenge for his batsmen in the remainder of the series is to build partnerships at the top of the order.

New Zealand were dismissed for 234 in reply to India's 324 for 4 to suffer a 90-run loss in the second ODI.

The hosts had lost the opening match by eight wickets.

Asked about the performance, Stead said:"It (performance) has improved slightly but obviously not a polished performance from us," Stead told reporters.

"They batted well and I was thinking it could have been 350 plus. So I am pleased with the back end bowling performance there. In the end, the work Bracewell put in was a promising sign but it wasn't a complete performance by any means."
"Look, I have faith on our guys. We played spin very well against Sri Lanka, so it is not like we can't, it is just that we haven't done it as effectively here."
"But look we wanted to be with the run-rate, in terms of the target we set ourself, it is the wicket that hurt us so we have to find a way to minimise that specially in the first 30 overs."