New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has announced a 13-member squad for the upcoming Test series against South Africa. The Blackcaps will be hosting the Proteas in a two-match series starting on February 4 in Mount Maunganui. Notably, CSK's Rachin Ravindra will be bestowed with a new role in the Test series.
If named in the Playing XI, Rachin Ravindra would be playing his first Test at home since 2022. He is set to take a new role of batting in the middle-order for the first time in his career in place of Henry Nicholls. He has so far played only three Test matches - all in the lower-middle order. Notably, Ravindra was picked by IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2024 mini-auction for 1.8 Crore INR.
Kane Williamson returns
Notably, Kane Williamson has been picked in the squad announced. Williamson was selectively part of the T20I series against Bangladesh but pulled up a hamstring injury in the second T20I to miss out on the remaining of the five-match series. He is among the other players having fitness issues to have been included in the Test squad.
New Zealand have included Williamson, Tom Blundell and pacer Kyle Jamieson - all three of whom are facing fitness issues - in the 13-member squad for the home series. Tim Southee will be at the helm, while Rachin Ravindra The Proteas will travel Down Under for a two-match Test series that starts on February 4 in Mount Maunganui. Ahead of the squad announcement, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead hoped Williamson would be fine in time for the Test series.
After the squad announcement, Stead said that the players would be looking forward to the Test series. "It’s an honour to be involved in any Test match and I know the players are looking forward to the start of a big Test summer - in what is a big year of Test cricket home and away. The Proteas are a highly competitive team across formats and, having never won a Test series against them home or away, we expect two stern challenges,” Stead said ahead of the series. Notably, South Africa have named a new-look squad with seven uncapped players.
New Zealand squad:
Tim Southee, Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke (second Test only), Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson and Will Young
