Image Credit- NZC
In the next home series against Australia, Tim
Southee, the captain of New Zealand, and his predecessor, Kane Williamson, will
play their 100th Test match together. On March 8, the second of two matches in
the series—which comes after a set of three Twenty20 Internationals—will get
underway.
Daryl Mitchell is one of the 14 players in the Test team; however, he has been
out of action lately recovering from a chronic foot injury. In addition, Scott
Kuggeleijn takes a look in place of Kyle Jamieson, who could miss a year of
action due to a back issue.
The NZC press release with the squad which arrived on Saturday also said,
“Trent Boult, who will feature in the T20I series against Australia, was
not considered for Test selection due to minimal recent red ball cricket – his
last Test coming in June 2022 against England in Leeds.”
Growing up playing cricket side by side, Southee and
Williamson advanced from the Under-19 divisions to become their nation’s
second-highest wicket-taker and top run-scorer, respectively. Together, the two
have participated in 50 Tests, most recently against Zimbabwe in 2016. They
will become the only other men from New Zealand to have played 100 Tests, along
with Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, and Stephen Fleming.
“Their achievements at Test level speak for themselves,” head coach
Gary Stead said, “And they are undoubtedly two of the greatest players to
have ever worn the New Zealand Test shirt.”
The first Test, which will take place in Wellington on
February 29th, will mark the return of a key player for this side. Mitchell has
established himself as such a dependable member of this Black Caps team that
Williamson, with a 55.90 average, is the only player on the team who has played
20 Tests and averages more than Mitchell’s 53.46.
“[Mitchell] is a key member of the group and has
proven, with his performances over the past 12 to 18 months, how much value he
adds to the Test team,” New Zealand selector Sam Wells said. “Daryl
will keep focusing on his rehabilitation over the next week and will be fit and
ready for the first Test in Wellington.”