New Zealand announce squad for Bangladesh Tests

New Zealand have unveiled their Test squad for the upcoming tour to Bangladesh, set to begin later in November. This tour marks the beginning of their new World Test Championship cycle. New Zealand are slated to participate in Test matches against Bangladesh in Sylhet and Dhaka. Leading the 15-member squad will be the veteran New Zealand cricketer Tim Southee.

The Black Caps have unveiled their spin-oriented Test squad for the upcoming two-match series in Bangladesh this month. Notably, Kyle Jamieson, Rachin Ravindra, and Mitchell Santner make a comeback, while Ajaz Patel and Ish Sodhi assume the roles of primary spinners. In anticipation of spin-friendly conditions, the team's composition has been adjusted accordingly. Enhancing the spin arsenal further are Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips as all-rounders.

Meanwhile, the pace brigade will be under the stewardship of skipper Tim Southee, with support from Matt Henry and the returning Kyle Jamieson. Jamieson's comeback follows a successful recovery from a February back surgery. The 28-year-old paceman boasts an impressive track record of 72 wickets at a stellar average of 19 across just 16 Test matches, earning him the distinction of being the fastest Kiwi to claim 50 Test wickets in a mere nine outings.

We’ve selected a squad we think can compete and succeed in Bangladesh: Sam Wells

Earlier, New Zealand, led by Lockie Ferguson, embarked on a three-match ODI series against Bangladesh as part of their preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, triumphing 2-1. This marked their first visit to Bangladesh since 2007. Now, New Zealand are set to engage in a Test series on Bangladeshi soil for the first time in a decade. Their last encounter in Test whites against the Tigers took place in 2013, resulting in a 0-0 draw. New Zealand selector Sam Wells remarked, 

“We’ve selected a squad we think can compete and succeed in Bangladesh. With Ajaz, Ish, Mitch, Glenn and Rachin, we have a strong spin group that will offer good variety and options during the series. Mitch had a strong back half of the Plunket Shield campaign last summer and has made good strides in his red-ball bowling,” Kiwis selector Sam Wells was quoted by nzc.nz.

He further added, “Rachin brings a left-arm orthodox option and has improved considerably over the past 18 months with the ball – and his performances with the bat at the World Cup speak for themselves. It’s great to be able to call upon the services of Kyle again after a period out of the team and he will bring a different dimension to the pace group,” he added.