New Zealand Include 5 Spinners In 15-man Test Squad For India Tour

Nov 10, 2021 at 3:48 PM

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New Zealand Include 5 Spinners In 15-man Test Squad For India Tour

New Zealand will begin their ‘World Test Championship” title defense with a Test series against India later this month, a few days after T20I World Cup concludes. New Zealand included five spinners in a 15-man Test squad to tour India later this month in the Black Caps’ opening series of their World Test Championship defense.

New Zealand won the inaugural World Test Championship 2019-21 after defeating India in the final at Southampton in June 2021, with the next cycle of matches continuing until 2023.

New Zealand's Kane Williamson celebrates with the trophy and teammates after winning the final of the ICC World Test Championship. Photograph: John Sibley/Reuters
New Zealand’s Kane Williamson celebrates with the trophy and teammates after winning the ICC World Test Championship final. Photograph: John Sibley/Reuters

New Zealand Coach Gary Stead Said Success Of Kiwi Spinners On Recent Tours To Sub Continent Has Been Encouraging

Coach Gary Stead said selectors had tailored the squad to spin-friendly conditions. The spin-heavy attack makes sense since conditions in the series-opener (Kanpur, November 25-29) and the second Test (Mumbai, December 3-7) are expected to suit the slower bowlers.

“The success of our spinners on recent tours to the sub-continent has been encouraging and we hope they can once again feature prominently,” he said.

Ajaz Patel (Photo Credit: ICC/Twitter)
Ajaz Patel (Photo Credit: ICC/Twitter)

Veteran Mitchell Santner will lead the slow-ball attack, supported by Ajaz Patel, Will Somerville, rookie Rachin Ravindra, and part-timer Glenn Phillips.

Glenn Phillips has been selected in the Test squad for the first time since debuting against Australia as a late replacement in 2020 when the Blackcaps camp was struck by illness on the eve of the New Year’s Test in Sydney. The 21-year-old Rachin Ravindra made his New Zealand debut in a T20I against Bangladesh in September, and although he toured England with the Test side earlier this year, he is yet to play in the longest form of the game.

Gary Stead: Touring India One Of The Greatest Experiences In Cricket

Pacers Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, and Kyle Jamieson have also been included, although Trent Boult and Colin de Grandhomme both chose to skip the tour. Gary Stead said the Black Caps were fired up about defending their title.

“Touring India is one of the greatest experiences in cricket and I know our guys are really looking forward to the challenge,” he said.

“It’s fair to say we’re expecting spin-friendly conditions and it’s great to have a range of options in this department.”

New Zealand head cricket coach Gary Stead. (Photo| EPS)
New Zealand head cricket coach Gary Stead. (Photo| EPS)

New Zealand will play two Tests in India, the first in Kanpur from November 25-29 and the second in Mumbai from December 3-7. There will also be three Twenty20 matches on November 17, 19, and 21 featuring the same Black Caps squad currently contesting the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

This will be the first meeting between the two teams in Test cricket since the inaugural World Test Championship final in June, in which India lost by eight wickets. New Zealand suffered a 0-3 humiliation against India on their last tour in 2016.

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (capt), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Will Somerville, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Will Young, Neil Wagner.

Get all details about India vs New Zealand Schedule.

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