Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson will miss the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh with injury, coach Gary Stead said Thursday, while spinner Ajaz Patel was dropped despite his 10-wicket haul against India.
Williamson's absence was widely expected after a nagging elbow injury kept him out of the second Test against India, with Tom Latham again taking over as captain.
Selectors opted for a four-pronged pace attack of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner, Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry in the two-Test Bangladesh series, which begins in Mount Maunganui on January 1.
That leaves no room for left-arm spinner Patel, who became only the third player in Test history to take all 10 wickets in an innings in the second Test against India in Mumbai earlier this month.
Stead expressed sympathy for Patel, who has failed to take a wicket in three Tests on home soil, despite his heroics in India.
"You do feel for Ajaz after his record-breaking display in India," he said.
"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."
Stead said it was "obviously disappointing" not to have Williamson but the battling stalwart was undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation to fix his troublesome elbow.
"We have every confidence in Tom leading the side, he’s done an excellent job in the past when called upon," he said.
New Zealand: Tom Latham (capt), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, Will Young.
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