Struggling opening batsman Martin Guptill is among five players to be dropped from the New Zealand cricket team for the two-test home series against Pakistan beginning at Christchurch next week. In his place Ahmedabad-born Jeet Raval is in all likelihood to open the innings for Kiwis.
The 28-year-old, who learned his basics in Ahmedabad and went to represent Gujarat in under-14 and under-16 sides, was earlier part of the New Zealand team that toured South Africa and Zimbabwe but is yet to play any Tests.
“Jeet (Raval) has been in the picture for a while now and he benefited from spending time in the environment during the tour of Africa,” New Zealand's chief selector Gavin Larsen said. The southpaw, who had played with the likes of Parthiv Patel in his school days, has been in impressive form while representing Auckland in New Zealand's domestic cricket. Guptill was among the batsmen who under-performed on the recent tour to India, where it was white-washed in a three-test series. He had scores of 21, 0, 13, 24, 72 and 29 - a total of 159 runs at an average of 26.
Spinners Ish Sodhi and Jeetan Patel, fast bowler Doug Bracewell and wicket keeper-batsman Luke Ronchi were also omitted from the 13-man squad. In their place, along with Jeet, Colin de Grandhomme is in line to make Test debuts in the first Test at Christchurch's Lincoln Oval on November 17. All-rounder Todd Astle has been recalled to the Test squad for the first time since 2012. Astle will provide a spin bowling option in the absence of allrounder Mitchell Santner who will miss the two Test matches with a broken wrist. Astle played his only Test against Sri Lanka in 2012 and appeared in two Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan last year.
“Todd's been incredibly consistent at the domestic level, having been one of the top four wicket-takers in the Plunket Shield (domestic first class competition) for the past threes seasons,” Larsen said.
NEW ZEALAND SQUAD: Kane Williamson (captain), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jimmy Neesham, Jeet Raval, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner and BJ Watling.
