Former New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming has praised Tom Latham while calling for tougher pitches on home soil.

In six test innings on difficult Indian wickets, Latham scored three 50s at 32.33, with a high score of 74.

He was one of the few positives New Zealand could take from the difficult tour, and Fleming said he is a player Black Caps fans should be excited about.

FAIRFAX NZ Stephen Fleming thinks New Zealand wickets are too good for batsmen.

"I think Latham has been an exception," Fleming said of New Zealand's disappointing test series against India.

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"He's done pretty well, very consistent, and he keeps adding pieces to his game. Good opening batters in New Zealand are hard to find so he's been a big positive."

New Zealand were spun to smithereens in the series against India, with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja proving difficult to face.

Latham was one of the few batsmen who stood up to the pressure for long periods, and his form has continued in the limited overs side with two fifties to his name in four one day internationals against India.

Fleming said the type of pitches prepared in New Zealand isn't helping the national side, particularly their batting, suggesting a move back to the pitches of yesteryear.

Green seamers which provided a good battle between bat and ball were once what was expected on a tour of New Zealand, but of late teams have come to expect exceptional batting wickets.

"Now I'm not a batsman in the competition, I do think the wickets are too good," Fleming said.

"I think we have to settle on a style of cricket in New Zealand, rather than try and be everything. We have to go back to what we know, and certainly even it up.

"The best games at the moment is where there is a balance between bat and ball.

"Domestic cricket, and test matches to a degree, there was a bit of talk last year about spicing up the wickets, which didn't happen. It certainly didn't happen at Hagley Park.

"The balance between bat and ball has to be consistent throughout the game and it's not quite right in New Zealand at the moment."

Fleming went on to lament the balance in New Zealand wickets.

"What are we doing here? We're just playing on roads, where it's hard to get a result, so we might be getting better cricketers but it's not equating to a jump up the rankings.

"It's not hard for a team to come and tour here. Go back to what successful New Zealand teams in the past have played on. To move forward, maybe we need to look at history and see what works."