New Zealand arrived in India on Thursday ahead of their one-off Test match against Afghanistan, set to take place in Greater Noida from September 9. This will mark the first red-ball encounter between the two nations, with the match being hosted at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground.
The BlackCaps have named a formidable squad for the contest, led by veteran pacer Tim Southee. Former captain Kane Williamson, who stepped back from a central contract earlier this year, also features in the squad, alongside key players like Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, and Rachin Ravindra. Tom Latham will continue in his role as vice-captain.
With spin expected to play a significant role, New Zealand have included five spinners: Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, and part-time options Phillips and Ravindra. The team is scheduled to begin their first practice session on Friday.
This Test against Afghanistan will act as preparation for a two-match series against Sri Lanka, which is part of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC). Following the Sri Lanka series, New Zealand will return to India to face Rohit Sharma’s side in a three-match Test series, also part of the WTC, to be played in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai in October and November.
New Zealand currently sits third on the ICC WTC points table, trailing last edition’s finalists, India and Australia.
