• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Massive Blow For Nz Santner Smith Henry Ruled Out Of Remainder Of Test Series Vs Wi

Massive blow for NZ! Santner, Smith, Henry ruled out of remainder of Test series vs WI

Rajgeeta Yadav

Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry has been ruled out of WI series [Source: AFP]Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry has been ruled out of WI series [Source: AFP]

New Zealand have been hit with a wave of injuries, and things have gone from bad to worse ahead of the second Test against the West Indies. A few days back, wicketkeeper Tom Blundell was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Now the team has confirmed that three more important players, Matt Henry, Mitchell Santner and Nathan Smith, will miss the rest of the three-match Test series.

New Zealand will be without their key players

Pacer Matt Henry and all-rounder Nathan Smith both picked up injuries during the first Test in Christchurch. Henry hurt his calf, while Smith suffered a side strain. Their injuries were a big blow for New Zealand, especially in the fourth innings, when they struggled to take the last West Indies wickets and had to settle for a draw.

Spin-bowling allrounder Mitchell Santner has also been sidelined, adding to the team’s problems. Because of all these absences, New Zealand now needs backup players urgently.

To cover for the injured group, the selectors have added a few fresh faces. Mitchell Hay, a young wicketkeeper-batter, has joined the squad and could make his Test debut in Wellington. 

The team has also called up two uncapped seamers, Michael Rae from Canterbury and Kristian Clarke from Northern Districts. Both players were removed from their domestic Plunket Shield matches so they could join the Test team immediately.

Notably, this is Rae’s first time in a NZ Test squad, while Clarke was part of the ODI team that beat England 3-0 recently, though he did not play. Clarke is mainly a bowler but can also contribute useful runs. He has 77 wickets and nearly 900 runs in first-class cricket and even scored his first senior century in the Ford Trophy last month.

With Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke still following “return-to-play” recovery plans, New Zealand suddenly finds itself short of experienced pacers. Coach Rob Walter may have no choice but to pick at least one debutant for the second Test.

On the positive side, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips are fit again and will rejoin the team after missing the first Test.

New Zealand squad for 2nd Test vs West Indies:

Tom Latham (C), Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell, Zak Foulkes, Jacob Duffy, Blair Tickner, Michael Rae, Kristian Clarke