Colin de Grandhomme, Rachin Ravindra, and Glenn Pocknall. Photos / Photosport
Colin de Grandhomme, Rachin Ravindra, and Glenn Pocknall. Photos / Photosport
Two months after winning the World Test Championship, the Black Caps return to action on Wednesday night, but the scene could hardly be more different. Niall Anderson details all the changes that will be on show when they take on Bangladesh.
The format
Test cricket is on the backburner untila series in India at the end of the year – instead, with the World Cup looming, it's time for Twenty20s.
New Zealand haven't played a T20 since April, but will now play 10 in quick succession against Bangladesh and Pakistan before the World Cup begins in October.
With the majority of New Zealand's all-format stars resting up ahead of the resumption of the Indian Premier League and the World Cup, only three players from the XI who beat India in the World Test Championship final will play in the five T20s against Bangladesh.
Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls, usually not selected for squads in the shortest format, provide the international experience, while Colin de Grandhomme is by far the most credentialed T20 player in the team.
Colin de Grandhomme is the most established T20 player in the New Zealand squad. Photo / Photosport
Tom Blundell, Matt Henry, Ajaz Patel, and Will Young all switch formats after their contributions in the England test series, while Rachin Ravindra, Cole McConchie, and Ben Sears have a chance to make their international debuts.
The coach
New Zealand's frontline players aren't the only ones being rested, with coach Gary Stead also taking a break for the tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan, leaving Wellington head coach Glenn Pocknall with the honour of leading the Black Caps for the first time.
Pocknall said he was "shocked and overwhelmed" to get the call-up, and is joined by Northern Districts bowling stalwart Graeme Aldridge and former Sri Lankan batsman Thilan Samaraweera in leading the group for the five Bangladesh T20s.
Black Caps head coach Gary Stead and Glenn Pocknall. Photo / Photosport
The opposition
Bangladesh have long been pushovers in New Zealand conditions, having never won a match in their 32 clashes across all formats in Aotearoa.
Additionally, the Black Caps have never lost a T20 to Bangladesh, and when they met earlier this year it was a comfortable 3-0 series win for New Zealand.
In Bangladesh, though, the tables turn, with the Black Caps having lost their last seven ODIs in the country, while the solitary T20 played in Bangladesh was in 2013. In sub-continent conditions, they are a far more formidable opponent.
The conditions
Those conditions at Shere Bangla National Stadium will likely be no surprise to the Black Caps – low, slow, and hard to score on.
In last month's five-match T20 series against Australia, no team scored more than 131, with the winning totals staggeringly small – 131-7, 123-5, 127-9, 105-7, and 122-8.
Rachin Ravindra could make his debut. Photo / Photosport
The Black Caps have planned for that eventuality by naming three spinners in Ravindra, McConchie and Patel, but with two of the trio yet to play an international, the Bangladeshi spinners may well have the edge, which could lead to one final change from Southampton.
The result
That aforementioned five-match T20 series against Australia? Bangladesh claimed a crushing 4-1 win.
While it wasn't Australia's strongest T20 side, they at least had some regulars playing, compared to this Black Caps squad which includes none of the 16 players named in their T20 World Cup squad.
Bangladesh players celebrate during the third T20 match against Australia. Photo Getty Images
As a result, Bangladesh go into the series as favourites, but in recent years the Black Caps have shown an undoubted ability to assess and exploit conditions, and if that skill has flown through to the outer reaches of the squad, then the Black Caps B team could make the most of their big opportunity.
