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After being selected for the New Zealand team for the
two-Test series against South Africa, which begins in Mount Maunganui on
February 4, Rachin Ravindra will likely add to his three Test caps. Will
O’Rourke, dubbed the Canterbury fast bowler Kyle Jamieson’s twin, has also
received a maiden call-up from New Zealand, although it’s only for the second
Test in Hamilton.
Kane Williamson has been added to the team by New
Zealand after missing the last three Twenty20 Internationals against Pakistan
because of a hamstring injury. Jamieson and Tom Blundell, who are also
recuperating from wounds, have been added.
Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel, members of the Test team
that visited Bangladesh in November and December of last year, were left off
the squad to play South Africa due to domestic conditions.
Henry Nicholls, who has been experiencing a form dip,
is replaced by Ravindra in the team. The batsman hasn’t reached 40 in his last
11 Test matches, with the exception of an undefeated 200 against Sri Lanka in
Wellington in March 2023.
After playing his first Test match in November 2021 in
Kanpur against India, Ravindra has not participated in the format since the
Test against Bangladesh in January 2022. But after a breakout year in 2023 that
saw him win the ICC Emerging Player of the Year award, he has been called up
for Tests.
Earlier this week, O’Rourke, 22, made his debut in an
ODI during a three-game home series against Bangladesh, taking five wickets at
23.00. He’s been taking wickets in the Super Smash, a domestic Twenty20 league,
for the past five games.
Glenn Phillips, who displayed his goods in Bangladesh,
also retained his position, as did Mitchell Santner. The middle-order batsman
received Player of the Match in the second Test in Mirpur, which New Zealand
won by four wickets, with scores of 87 and 40 not out. In the opening inning,
he also racked up three hits.
“It was pleasing as a selector to see different
players making contributions during the recent series in Bangladesh,” head
coach Gary Stead said. “Glenn and Mitch both earned selection on the back
of their recent work in red-ball cricket. Will O’Rourke has impressed us in
stepping up from domestic cricket to New Zealand A and then international
level. Rachin Ravindra is another player who has really impressed us with his
contributions to the team over the past 12 months in international cricket.
“Tom Blundell, Kyle Jamieson and Kane Williamson
are all at slightly different points in their rehabilitation plans. But we’re
confident they’ll be good to go at Bay Oval.”