Kane Williamson will miss the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh due to injury
Coach Gary Stead said on Thursday that Black Caps captain Kane Williamson will miss the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh due to injury, while spinner Ejaz Patel was dropped despite taking 10 wickets against India.
Williamson’s absence was widely expected as an elbow injury ruled him out of the second Test against India, with Tom Latham again taking over as captain.
The selectors opted for a four-pronged pace attack from Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner, Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry in the two-Test Bangladesh series starting at Mount Maunganui from January 1.
That left no room for left-arm spinner Patel, who became only the third player in Test history to take all 10 wickets in an innings in the second Test against India in Mumbai earlier this month.
Stead expressed sympathy for Patel, who despite his valor in India, has failed to take wickets in three Tests on home soil.
“After Ejaz’s record breaking performance in India, you feel for him,” he added.
“However, we have always implemented a horse-for-course selection policy and believe that the players selected are the best fit the way we want to take Bangladesh here at home.”
Stead said Williamson’s absence was “obviously disappointing”, but the battling veteran was undergoing extensive rehabilitation to fix his troubled elbow.
“We have full confidence in Tom leading the team, he has done an excellent job in the past when he was called on,” he added.
New Zealand: Tom Latham (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, Will Young.
,