Image Credit- Getty
For the two-Test series against Bangladesh, left-arm
fast bowler Neil Wagner has been named in New Zealand’s team in lieu of the
injured Matt Henry.
Henry was sidelined for the remainder of the World Cup
after sustaining a hamstring injury during the match against South Africa on
November 1. Although it was anticipated that he would recover in time for the
Tests in Bangladesh, additional scans and evaluations revealed that the injury
had not fully healed.
“It’ll be great to have Neil’s skill and
experience on the tour of Bangladesh,” Sam Wells, New Zealand’s selector,
said. “His record speaks for itself, and we all know what a great
competitor he is. He’s played plenty of cricket in the sub-continent, and I
know he’s really excited by the challenge ahead.”
Wagner, 37, suffered a back issue that kept him out of
the Plunkett Shield for two rounds before he was able to play for Northern
Districts earlier in the week. Though he was left out of the original
spin-heavy New Zealand squad announced for the Bangladesh tour, the last of his
63 Tests was also New Zealand’s final in the format, against Sri Lanka this
March.
New Zealand will play their first Test of the current
World Test Championship (WTC) season against Bangladesh from 2023 to 25. Wagner
had 18 wickets at the end of the last WTC cycle.
The majority of the New Zealand squad, who had also
featured in the World Cup in India, are currently recovering in Dubai before
they relocate to Sylhet next week. As for the other Bangladesh-bound players,
they depart on November 21 ahead of the opening Test from November 28 in
Sylhet.
Updated squad: Tim Southee (capt), Tom Blundell (wk),
Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz
Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Kane
Williamson, Will Young, Neil Wagner