What the hell???
:-
Blackcaps spinner Ajaz Patel has been sensationally dropped for New Zealand’s home Test series against Bangladesh despite making cricketing history in his last outing.
Patel famously became the third bowler in history to take 10 wickets in a Test innings in his last match against India in Mumbai.
The left arm tweaker ended the game with 14 wickets to his name, but that didn’t prove enough for New Zealand’s selectors with coach Gary Stead saying his non-selection was a “horses-for-courses” decision.
“You do feel for Ajaz after his record-breaking display in India,” Stead said via a statement.
“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.”
All-rounder Rachin Ravindra will fill the side’s spinning duties, and Stead said that selection allows the team balance with a mainly seaming attack.
“We feel having both Rachin and Daryl in the squad gives us a nice balance and the ability to pick a side best suited to the conditions we expect,” he said.
The two-Test series against Bangladesh begins on January 1, 2022 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui before Christchurch’s Hagley Oval holds the second fixture.
Captain Kane Williamson misses the series with injury while Tom Latham takes the reins as skipper.
Check out the full Blackcaps squad for the Bangladesh series below:-
Tom Latham (c)
Tom Blundell (wk)
Trent Boult
Devon Conway
Matt Henry
Kyle Jamieson
Daryl Mitchell
Henry Nicholls
Rachin Ravindra
Tim Southee
Ross Taylor
Neil Wagner
Will Young