Black Caps call up Auckland star for India series

Auckland left-armer Ben Lister is set for an international debut after earning selection in the Black Caps’ T20 squad to play India later this month.

The selection is Lister’s first international call up and comes after he made his New Zealand A debut last year in India.

That tour was cut short after the 27-year-old was struck down with pneumonia. The infection saw Lister spend time in hospital before returning home to continue his recovery.

But he will soon get a chance to banish those bad memories, with the Black Caps’ bowling stocks depleted through either injury or unavailability.

Kyle Jamieson (back), Matt Henry (abdominal) Adam Milne (side) and Ben Sears (back) were unavailable for selection as they continued to manage injuries, while Tim Southee wasn’t considered.

Southee, along with captain Kane Williamson and coach Gary Stead, will return to New Zealand after the ODI series in Pakistan to prepare for the visit of England in February.

In their absence, Mitchell Santner will again captain the T20 side with batting coach Luke Ronchi taking the off-field reins, while Lister can stake his claim for further opportunities.

Black Caps selector Gavin Larsen said the swing bowler - who since his debut in 2017 has been Auckland’s leading wicket-taker in T20 and list A cricket - had impressed with his range of skills.

“Ben has made an exciting impact for Auckland early in his career,” Larsen said. “His ability to swing the ball considerably as a left-armer is particularly exciting.

“We all felt for Ben after his [NZ A] tour ended the way it did last year, and it’s a testament to his work ethic that he’s been able to return to domestic cricket so strongly.”

The 15-man group to play India features an experienced T20 core, including nine players from last year’s World Cup squad, along with a few newer to international cricket.

That includes Canterbury all-rounder Henry Shipley, who this week made his international bow in the series against Pakistan, and former Netherlands representative Michael Rippon, who earned a Black Caps debut against Scotland last year.

Santner will juggle that mix and Larsen noted the 30-year-old had impressed in his previous opportunities as captain of the T20 team.

“Mitch is a leader in our white-ball teams and has captained the T20 side in India before,” he said. “His experience in Indian conditions will be invaluable.”

The three-match T20 series starts in Ranchi on January 27, following a three-game ODI series against the same opponents.

Black Caps T20 squad to tour India:

Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Dane Cleaver, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Lister, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rippon, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission