WELLINGTON : Ross Taylor completed a rapid rehabilitation from eye surgery to be named Thursday in the New Zealand squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh starting next week.
\nTaylor had a small, benign growth removed from his left eye following the series against Pakistan in late November, in which he ended a run of low scores with a century in the second and final Test.
\nFour weeks after the operation he was playing domestic cricket again, and New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said the 32-year-old had earned his return to the Test line-up. “It\u2019s great to have Ross back. He has a phenomenal record that speaks for itself and he\u2019s coming off a terrific hundred in his last Test,” Larsen said.
\n“He\u2019s obviously been an essential part of our Test side for a long time and brings invaluable experience and knowledge to the group.”
\nTaylor has compiled 16 Test centuries and needs only one more to equal the New Zealand record held by the late Martin Crowe.
\nHenry Nicholls gets another chance to press his claims for the number five slot, despite averaging less than 25 from his 14 Test innings, while Colin de Grandhomme and Jeet Raval have been retained after promising starts to their Test careers against Pakistan.
\n“We\u2019ve still got some relatively new players in the squad and playing in home conditions gives them a great opportunity to further their experience on the international stage,” Larsen said.
\nMitchell Santner is the sole spin option, with Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Matt Henry competing for the seamer roles.
\nThe first Test starts in Wellington on January 12.
\nNew Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Trent Boult, Dean Brownlie, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WELLINGTON : Ross Taylor completed a rapid rehabilitation from eye surgery to be named Thursday in the New Zealand squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh starting next week. Taylor had a small, benign growth removed from his left eye following the series against Pakistan in late November, in which he ended a run of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-9090","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n