A new face in the Black Caps huddle could push out a regular squad member. Photo / Getty
A new face in the Black Caps huddle could push out a regular squad member. Photo / Getty
The Black Caps' first test against India in Kanpur has kick-started the test career of one of New Zealand's top cricketing prospects.
It may also have ended the test reign of one of his teammates.
Mitchell Santner's test career is hanging by a thread, after the all-rounder was left outof the Black Caps' XI for the first test against India.
More notable than his mere omission was the player who replaced him – 22-year-old all-rounder Rachin Ravindra.
Ravindra was selected to make his test debut alongside Ajaz Patel and Will Somerville, as the Black Caps opted for three spinners in Kanpur, leaving out Santner.
The Black Caps selectors have long held high hopes for Ravindra, specifically for the balance he can bring to the test side, and throwing him into the fire in India was a bold call that went against their usually conservative selection approach.
At first-class level, Ravindra averages 54.9 with the ball, though showed in his seven overs on day one – and his international introduction in the Twenty20 series against Bangladesh – that he can be more than a part-time option, and better than those bowling figures suggest.
But perhaps more importantly, Ravindra averages 38.9 with the bat as an opener in the Plunket Shield. He's been eased into the middle order on debut, and with Tom Latham and Devon Conway a seemingly long-term partnership at the top once Conway returns from injury, Ravindra will likely remain batting at six or seven for the first few years of his career - a significant addition to New Zealand's batting depth.
With spinners usually not required for more than a few defensive overs in New Zealand conditions, the selectors have regularly opted to use Santner at home instead of a specialist like Patel, thinking that his superior batting – and fielding – is of more value to the side than the extra threat Patel offers as a bowler on wickets unsuited to his skills.
However, with Ravindra a superior batsman than Santner, and now seemingly favoured as a spinner as well, it stands to reason that the young Wellingtonian will replace Santner when a spinning all-rounder is required in New Zealand conditions.
Mitchell Santner's last test came against England in June. Photo / Photosport
Despite being a first-choice selection as recently as June, Santner's resume hardly demands retention, with averages of 24.7 with the bat and 45.6 with the ball.
While his bowling average is inflated due to the holding role he is often asked to play at home, he has never taken more than three wickets in an innings, and Santner's batting hasn't kicked on, with his century against England in 2019 the only time he's reached 50 in nearly five years.
He also now has stronger competition for places, with Ravindra joined by Otago all-rounder Michael Rippon as new contenders, with the former Dutch international now eligible for home matches, and soon to be available for overseas selection as well.
Perhaps Santner will earn a lifeline in the second test if one of the three spinners suffers an injury, while 37-year-old Somerville can't have too many tours left, and selectors will be careful not to over-use Ravindra too early in his career.
But, with Ravindra now clearly in frame as a bonafide test option, Santner's days as a regular three-format spinner may be over.
There's no shame in that, given how few three-format tweakers there are worldwide, and Santner remains one of best one-day and T20 bowlers in world, a skillset that will certainly result in a continually lucrative career.
