Black Caps test team named: coach Gary Stead reveals ‘toughest pick’

Black Caps spinner Mitchell Santner has kept his place on the test team to face Pakistan despite Ajaz Patel being fit enough to play.

In a clear indication that the selectors aren’t comfortable with Kyle Jamieson receiving all-rounder status, Santner has gotten the nod over Patel thanks to his superior hitting.
In a squad with little intrigue due to recent success, the only question mark was on the spinning bowling slot.

“The hardest team selection was clearly around roulette,” said coach Gary Stead.

“Basically that came down to side balance and with the strong four pace attack going so well, we wanted to have a spinning off-roader as an option for that number 7 position.”

“It is really unfortunate for Ajaz, who has overcome his calf injury, but Santner’s all-round ability is our preferred option for this series. The fact that Ajaz was unable to have any playing time in the lead-up period was also a concern “.

Santner’s preferred status increases the likelihood that he will slip into the all-rounder role before starter Daryl Mitchell for the Bay Oval Boxing Day event. While only a fifth bowler has been needed this summer thanks to the rule of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Jamieson, the Mt Maunganui course could need something a little different.

Last summer he got three vital wickets in the second inning when New Zealand beat England to the ground. He also scored his only test century in the same match.

The only other decision management will have to make is whether Will Young keeps his place in the XI, although it is unlikely that he has done enough to remove Tom Blundell since he is not a natural starter.

New Zealand received a boost with the unavailability of Babar Azam and
Imam-ul-Haq. The couple have yet to recover from their thumb injuries. Mohammad Rizwan will lead the team in Azam’s absence. It’s a hit for neutrals though, as the graceful Azam is one of the easiest batsmen to watch in cricket today.

New Zealand enters the series chasing a 2-0 victory that will keep them on their quest for a World Trials Championship final at Lord’s in June, a quest that has gained momentum with India’s massive defeat in their first Test against Australia. .

“Our rise in the test rankings is a great achievement, but we know the challenge now is to back that up against a quality team from Pakistan,” said Stead.

Pakistan will surely offer more resistance than a West Indies team that seemed to have forgotten how to play test cricket.

Although the formats remain polar opposites, Pakistan’s seamers have shown enough during the T20 series to suggest that if they win the draw on a green cover, as the Windies did in Hamilton and Wellington, they will not waste conditions in a similar way.

They will have to if they want to get a stick through the spokes of this New Zealand team.

Since losing to South Africa in Wellington in March 2017, the test team has been at home unprecedented in New Zealand cricket history. In the 15 games since then, they have won 11 and tied four.

Included in the accounts are the traditional heavyweights of England and India, so it hasn’t all been minnow harassment. Pakistan, like New Zealand, is considered somewhere between a giant and a minnow.

Where New Zealand’s good times and bad times tend to be cyclical, Pakistan’s can occur within the space of a series.

New Zealand Squad:
Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Will Young.