Amid the reports of Trent Boult and Ross Taylor getting fit before the Hamilton Test against South Africa, the hosts have announced the same squad heading into the crucial third Test of the series, which begins March 25.
South Africa won the second Test match in Wellington by eight wickets to take a 1-0 lead, and in the wake to neutralize the overall result in upcoming Test, the Kiwis have opted to not make any big changes in the side. Taylor, who tore his calf in Dunedin, has been overlooked whereas Boult, who was in contention after he was seen practicing in nets, has been advised rest so that he can fully recover from his upper-leg injury.
Absence of both stalwarts did hurt the hosts in Basin Reserve, however, the selection committee feels current crop of players are capable of taking the heat and turning the tables around for the Black Caps.
Gavin Larsen, New Zealand’s chief selector, said all they need now is to regroup and move into Seddon Park with a positive mindset. He added the management needs to sit and look what went wrong in the second game and how can they overcome the mistakes they made.
“We’ve got 100% faith in the fact that we’ve got what we think are the best group of Test cricketers in the country. It’s about getting into Hamilton, getting the covers off, having a look at the pitch, having a look at some balance, thinking about what transpired down here in Wellington and about the best way to beat a very good South African team. I am very confident the coach and captain will come up with the right XI on the day.”