New Zealand head coach Gary Stead opened up about the exclusion of their in-form spinner Ajaz Patel for the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting with the first Test match in Mount Maunganui on New Year's Day, January 1, 2022.
Patel was not picked in New Zealand’s 13-member squad for the upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh despite being a standout performer for the Kiwis in the recent Test series in India.
Tom Latham will lead the New Zealand team in the Tests in place of Kane Williamson, who was also left out due to his persistent elbow injury.
Rachin Ravindra is the only spinner in the New Zealand squad for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh. Speaking about Patel’s omission, Stead has cited their "horses-for-courses" selection policy for his non-selection and they selected their best-fit players for the home series.
Stead said in an official release: “You do feel for Ajaz after his record-breaking display in India. We feel having both Rachin and Daryl in the squad gives us a nice balance. However, we've always applied a horses-for-courses selection policy and believe the players selected best fit the way we want to take on Bangladesh here at home.”
On Williamson, the head coach added: “It's obviously disappointing not to have Kane available for this series but, as we noted in India, he is undergoing a sustained period of rest followed by rehabilitation, strengthening, and gradual batting loading. We have every confidence in Tom leading the side - he's done an excellent job in the past when called upon.”
He signed off by saying, “It's great to be back home and at venues, we know well, and where we've had success in recent times.”
Here’s the New Zealand squad for Bangladesh Tests: Tom Latham (C), Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Devon Conway
(With ANI Inputs)
