Delhi: New Zealand cricket selectors have announced their team for the three-match home Test series to be played against England, in which veteran batsman Kane Williamson is returning after a long time. Williamson was away from cricket due to a groin injury suffered against Sri Lanka in September and could not even go on the India tour. Now he will be seen playing in this series against England starting from 28th November at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
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Under the captaincy of Tom Latham, New Zealand had registered a spectacular 3-0 victory on the recent India tour, but Williamson's return will further boost the morale of the team. New Zealand has an opportunity to reach the final of the ICC World Test Championship by performing well in this series. Tom Latham will remain the captain, while experienced fast bowler Tim Southee, who will retire after this Test cycle, has also been included in the squad. If New Zealand fails to qualify for the final, Southee's Test career could end against England in Hamilton.
Apart from this, fast bowlers Ben Sears and Kyle Jamieson are not in the team due to injury, while Williamson has been included in place of middle-order batsman Mark Chapman. Spinners Ajaz Patel and Ish Sodhi, who performed brilliantly against India, will not play in this series. However, Mitchell Santner can join the team for the second and third Test. Emerging all-rounder Nathan Smith has also got a chance.
Selector Sam Wells described this series as important not only for the Test Championship but also for honoring Tim Southee and described the team as balanced.
New Zealand team: Tom Latham (captain), Tom Blundell (wicketkeeper), Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner (2nd and 3rd Test), Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
The series schedule is as follows:
The first Test match will be played at Hagley Oval, Christchurch from 28 November to 2 December. After this, the second Test will be held at Basin Reserve in Wellington from 6 to 10 December and the third and final Test will be held at Seddon Park in Hamilton from 14 to 18 December.
FAQ
Why is Kane Williamson not playing in Tests?
Due to Kane Williamson's groin injury, he was not a part of India's Test series. New Zealand Cricket has given him a place in the full team for the upcoming Test series against England.
Why is Kane Williamson called uncle?
In this era of T20, batsmen invent new shots. In contrast, Kane Williamson has not made any changes in his copy book style batting style and he is always confident in his technique. Fellow players also call Kane Williamson as 'Kane Mama'.
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