World Cup star earns Test recall for Black Caps

World Cup breakout star Rachin Ravindra has received a test recall for the Black Caps’ two-match series in Bangladesh starting later this month.

Ravindra, who has blazed three centuries at the ODI tournament in India, played the last of his three tests at the start of 2022, when he was still seen as a lower-order allrounder.

The 23-year-old has excelled atop the order during the World Cup, but that role won’t initially translate to the test arena, given the squad also includes regular openers Devon Conway and Tom Latham alongside No 3 Kane Williamson.

But Ravindra’s left-arm orthodox will make him a valuable option in subcontinental conditions, with a spin-heavy 15-man group also bringing recalls for Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips.

The series marks the start of the third cycle of the World Test Championship and will feature a coaching team led by Luke Ronchi, as coach Gary Stead heads home after the World Cup to prepare for the home summer.

Ronchi’s assistants in Bangladesh will be bowling coaches Jacob Oram (pace) and Pakistan great Saqlain Mushtaq (spin), along with batting coach Daniel Flynn.

Santner returns to the test team having earned the last of his 24 caps in 2021, joining Ajaz Patel and Ish Sodhi as the frontline spinners. Santner’s selection follows his most successful Plunket Shield season for Northern Districts, claiming 15 wickets at 26 while averaging 52 with the bat.

The spin options are further boosted by the presence of Phillips, whose offbreak has been regularly seen in India, giving him a chance to add to the solitary test cap he earned in 2020.

New Black Caps selector Sam Wells said the squad was picked very much with the touring conditions in mind.

“With Ajaz, Ish, Mitch, Glenn and Rachin, we have a strong spin group that will offer us good variety and options,” Wells said.

“Mitch had a strong back half of the Plunket Shield campaign last summer and has made good strides in his red-ball bowling. He brings a wealth of experience in subcontinent conditions and adds depth to the batting lineup as a genuine allrounder.

“Rachin brings a left-arm orthodox option and has improved considerably over the past 18 months with the ball — and his performances with the bat at the World Cup speak for themselves.”

Pace bowler Kyle Jamieson also makes a return to the test arena after undergoing back surgery in February, joining captain Tim Southee and Matt Henry in a three-man attack that leaves no room for 37-year-old Neil Wagner.

Jamieson has captured 72 wickets at 19 across 16 tests, having previously become the fastest New Zealander to reach 50 scalps. Henry has remained in India to rehabilitate the right hamstring injury he sustained last week, which ruled him out of the remainder of the World Cup.

“It’s great to be able to call upon the services of Kyle again after a period out of the team,” Wells said. “He will bring a different dimension to the pace group with his ability to move the ball.”

Wellington allrounder Michael Bracewell was unavailable for selection as he continued his recovery from a ruptured Achilles. Trent Boult, having not played a test since opting out of his central contract in 2022, was not considered after making himself unavailable for the tour.

Black Caps test squad to tour Bangladesh:

Tim Southee (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Kane Williamson, Will Young.

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