New Zealand has cleared captain Kane Williamson and wicketkeeper B-J Watling to play in the inaugural World Test Championship final against India, while retaining Ajaz Patel as a specialist spinner in the 15-man squad.
Doug Bracewell, Jacob Duffy, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra and Mitchell Santner will miss out after being part of the original 20-player touring squad.
“Kane and BJ have certainly benefited from their week of rest and rehabilitation and we expect them to be fit and available for the final,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said on Tuesday.
“We’ve gone with Ajaz as our specialist spinner after an impressive outing at Edgbaston (against England) and we believe he could be a factor at the Ageas Bowl,” added Stead.
The squad: Kane Williamson (Capt.), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, B-J. Watling (wk), and Will Young.
