Vadodara, Feb 18 : Cricketer Irfan Pathan on Wednesday said the Indian cricket team would seek to improve on its past dismal record against New Zealand in the forthcoming series.

Pathan told reporters here that the objective is to give our best performance.

"This would be a very important competition. If you see in the past, the Indian team has not given a good performance in New Zealand. So, we''ll try our best. We''ll be able to present a good game. We would try to win of course, and would definitely give our best," said Pathan.

India is travelling to New Zealand next week for three tests, five one-day series and two Twenty20 matches after winning the recent home Test series against Australia and a 4-1 one-day series against hosts Sri Lanka.

India would arrive in New Zealand on February 20 and would open the tour with Twenty20 matches from February 25.

The five-dayers would be held between March 3-14 before the first test in Hamilton on March 18.

The five one-dayers will be played between March 3-14 before the first Test starts in Hamilton on March 18.

The remaining two Tests will be played in Napier (March 26-30) and Wellington (April 3-7).

India has not won any match against the hosts in New Zealand since former Indian skipper Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi''s 3-1 win 41 years ago.

India lost two tests in the previous tour to New Zealand in 2002. And Black Caps also won the one-day series by 5-2.

India''s confidence is reportedly high after recently completing a victorious tour against Sri Lanka where Indians capped their both test match and one-day series wins with a thrilling victory in a Twenty20 international. (ANI)