Rachin Ravindra, the Black Caps’ breakout World Cup hero, was a surprise withdrawal from the team for the opening test against Bangladesh on Tuesday.
Ravindra has only played three tests, but he was projected to be in the New Zealand XI for the first game of the two-match series.
Despite his excellence at the recently concluded one-day World Cup in India, the 23-year-old allrounder was not chosen by the selection group led by stand-in coach Luke Ronchi and captain Tim Southee for the first test in Sylhet.
Instead, Glenn Phillips was selected to play only his second test, almost four years after making his debut against Australia in Sydney, to bat at No.6 or No.7 and provide spin bowling support to slow-bowling specialists Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel.
Instead, Glenn Phillips was selected to play only his second test, almost four years after making his debut against Australia in Sydney, to bat at No.6 or No.7 and provide spin bowling support to slow-bowling specialists Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel.
He was New Zealand’s leading run-getter and the tournament’s fourth-highest scorer.
The Wellington allrounder bowls useful left-arm spin as well, but Phillips may have been chosen because he bowls off-spin and will turn the ball away from Bangladesh’s left-handed hitters.
In Sylhet, New Zealand lost the toss and the hosts chose to bat, with Kyle Jamieson and Southee the only specialist pace bowlers in the touring squad. It’s the big quick’s first test since injuring his back in the second test against England in England last June.
