Test match #104 for ROSS TAYLOR and #3 for WILL YOUNG beckons after the Stags batsmen were named today in the BLACKCAPS Test squad to play Pakistan over the holiday period.

There was disappointment, however, for a patient AJAZ PATEL who has fully recovered from a niggly calf injury but missed a spot, with Mitch Santner's all-round skills retained.

Patel is yet to play a match this season but will be looking forward to joining the Central Stags for Dream11 Super Smash which begins next week, 27 December in Napier under lights at McLean Park.

“It’s really unfortunate for Ajaz who has overcome his calf injury, but the all-round ability of Mitchell Santner is our preferred option for this series," said BLACKCAPS coach Gary Stead.

"The fact that Ajaz hasn’t been able to have any game time in the lead-up was also a concern for the selectors.

“The toughest squad selection was clearly around the spinner. That basically came down to the balance of the side and with the four-strong pace attack going so nicely, we wanted to have a spinning all-rounder as an option for that number seven position."

The BLACKCAPS - who will be on show at McLean Park in the last T20 International, at Napier's McLean Park - are pushing a spot in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final with two Tests against Pakistan rounding out their campaign.

The first assignment for the 13-player Test squad is the iconic Boxing Day Test which will hosted at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui for the first time, before the New Year’s Test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from January 3.

Following consecutive two-nil series wins over the West Indies this month and India earlier this year, Kane Williamson’s men sit just behind India in third on the WTC points table.

A series sweep against Pakistan and a heavy defeat for India in Australia would see the BLACKCAPS well placed to return to Lord’s in London for another ICC Final.

Kane Williamson's return to the side after having missed the second Test against the West Indies to be with his wife Sarah for the birth of their first child means Devon Conway drops out of the squad, with Will Young continuing as the batting cover.

Daryl Mitchell remains as the pace-bowling all-rounder in place of Colin de Grandhomme who was last week ruled out of the series with a stress-reaction to his right ankle.

The Test squad assembles in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday ahead of the first PSO Carient Test starting at Bay Oval on Saturday, December 26.

NEW ZEALAND v PAKISTAN

BLACKCAPS TEST SQUAD

WILL YOUNG

ROSS TAYLOR

Kane Williamson (c)

Tom Blundell

Trent Boult

Kyle Jamieson

Tom Latham

Daryl Mitchell

Henry Nicholls 

Mitchell Santner

Tim Southee

Neil Wagner

BJ Watling (w)

Article added: Tuesday 22 December 2020