Tom Blundell ruled out of 2nd Test against WI: Details
What's the story
New Zealand's wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Blundell has been ruled out of the second Test against West Indies due to a hamstring injury. The injury was sustained during his batting stint in the first Test at Christchurch last week. Mitchell Hay is set to replace him and make his Test debut at Basin Reserve on December 10. Here are further details.
Additional exclusions
Other players ruled out of Test series
Along with Blundell, Matt Henry, Nathan Smith, and Mitchell Santner have also been ruled out of the rest of the Test series due to calf, side, and groin injuries respectively. New Zealand Cricket has named all-rounder Kristian Clarke and fast bowler Michael Rae as their replacements. This string of injuries has left a significant void in New Zealand's Test squad for the ongoing series against West Indies.
Rising star
Mitchell Hay's impressive domestic record
Mitchell Hay, 25, has already made 19 international appearances for New Zealand in white-ball formats (12 T20Is and seven ODIs). He has an impressive First-Class cricket record with Canterbury, scoring 1,895 runs at an average of 48.58 in 29 matches. His domestic performance includes 17 fifties and a century with a top score of 146.
Player updates
Kyle Jamieson's return and Glenn Phillips's inclusion
Kyle Jamieson is on a red-ball return-to-play plan, working closely with New Zealand's backroom staff. He recently played for Canterbury in the Plunket Shield game against Central Stags. Glenn Phillips, who recovered from a groin strain, has been included in the 14-man squad for the second Test after playing two fixtures of the competition for Otago and scoring 130 runs while taking nine wickets.
Coach's remarks
Head coach Rob Walter's comments on new inclusions
New Zealand's head coach Rob Walter expressed his excitement over the inclusion of Mitchell Hay and other new bowlers in the squad. He said, "Mitch is a young cricketer who's already contributed well to the white-ball side. He also has an excellent record at First-Class level with Canterbury." On Clarke and Rae, he said they are both identified players of interest with great ability, who have been good performers for their domestic sides over the past few years.