William O’Rourke and Ben Sears, two fast bowlers, have been rewarded by New Zealand with their maiden call-up for two overseas assignments. Both players, who made an impression in the whites early in 2024, are included in the 15-man team that will travel to India for a single Test match against Afghanistan before playing two matches in Sri Lanka as part of their ICC Test Championship campaign.
On his Test debut, O’Rourke, 23, amassed the best match figures for a New Zealander with a haul of 9/93, which included a fifer in the second innings. In the ensuing series, he only played in the opening Test match against Australia before being sidelined by a groin ailment. In that series, Sears’ chance came in the second Test match against Australia, where he claimed five wickets.
Michael Bracewell, an off-spinner for New Zealand, has also returned to action after missing the previous 18 months due to Achilles and finger ailments. Along with off-spinner Glenn Phillips, Bracewell teams up with left-arm spinners Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, and Rachin Ravindra.
“It’s always great when young guys force their way into squads through performance and I know Will and Ben are really looking forward to the challenges of Test cricket in the sub-continent,” New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said.
“Michael’s had to show plenty of resilience to rehabilitate his injuries and force his way back into the Blackcaps across all three formats. His all-round skills and ability to take the ball away from the left-hander make him a great asset, especially on what we expect will be turning wickets in India and Sri Lanka,” Stead added.
Before a hectic stretch of Test cricket, New Zealand had all of its best batters available. Following the two series in September, they return to the subcontinent to play three Test matches against India in October and November before hosting three Test matches against England to start their home summer.
Due to the demanding nature of away cricket, Stead emphasized workload management, particularly for his skipper Tim Southee, who might not play in every match. In the meantime, as he continues to heal from a back ailment, Kyle Jamieson was not considered for selection.
“Test tours to the sub-continent can ask some really tough questions of pace bowlers due to the nature of the pitches and the heat and humidity. While we’re going over with an open mind around conditions, there is an understanding that all our bowling options may be needed across the different Tests. Tim and I have discussed this, and the need during these overseas tours to balance the work-loads of the pace-bowlers, including himself, to ensure the team is best served,” Stead said.
New Zealand are scheduled to play a test against Afghanistan in India, Greater Noida from the 9th of September, which will be followed by 2 tests against Sri Lanka and 3 against India in October, and November.
