Kane Williamson has been included in New Zealand's squad for the upcoming three-match home Test series against England. Williamson has successfully recovered from the groin injury which didn't let him be a part of New Zealand's historic whitewash of India recently.
Wellington's pace-bowling allrounder Nathan Smith has earned his maiden Test call-up. Smith has an impressive first-class record. The 26-year-old has claimed 144 wickets in 53 first-class games at an average of 25.85, including four four-wicket hauls and six five-wicket hauls. He has also aggregated 1919 runs at 27.02 with the help of a century and 13 fifties.
The England series holds paramount significance. If New Zealand go on to blank England 3-0 on home turf then it will keep them alive in the race to the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. In addition to that, it will also be the last time that cricket fans will be able to take a glimpse of Tim Southee in whites for the Blackcaps.
Southee has announced that the three-match series against England will be his final appearance for the Kiwis in Test cricket. The right-arm speedster is 15 shy of completing 400 Test wickets and if he gets there then he will become only the third active cricketer with 400 Test poles to his credit.
England tour of New Zealand 2024
| Date |
Match |
Venue |
| Saturday, November 23-24 |
Two-day warm-up game between New Zealand XI and England |
Queenstown, John Davies Oval |
| Thursday, 28 Nov 2024 - Mon, 02 Dec 2024 |
1st Test |
Christchurch, Hagley Oval |
| Friday, 06 Dec 2024 - Tue, 10 Dec 2024 |
2nd Test |
Wellington, Basin Reserve |
| Saturday, 14 Dec 2024 - Wed, 18 Dec 2024 |
3rd Test |
Seddon Park, Hamilton |
New Zealand Test squad for England series:
Tom Latham (c), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner (Tests 2 and 3), Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young
