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Glenn Phillips has been given more time to build match fitness but Daryl Mitchell is available after injury

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2025Kane Williamson has been included in New Zealand’s squad for the first Test against West Indies in Christchurch and pace bowler Blair Tickner handed a recall for the first time since 2023 with Kyle Jamieson held back as he continues a carefully controlled return to red-ball cricketFellow seamers Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes, who took nine wickets on debut against Zimbabwe, are also part of the 14-player squad, but Jamieson wasn’t considered for the start of the series as a cautious approach is maintained in increasing his workloads after a back injury.Glenn Phillips, who played in the opening round of the Plunket Shield, also hasn’t been included as he works his way back to full match fitness after a groin injury. Daryl Mitchell has recovered from injury to take his place in the squad.Williamson, who is among the group of players to hold a casual contract, missed New Zealand’s most recent Test series in Zimbabwe earlier this year to play the Hundred. Having announced his T20I retirement, he played the first two ODIs against England before picking up a groin injury.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“Kane’s ability on the field speaks for itself and it will be great to have his skills as well as his leadership back in the Test group,” head coach Rob Walter said. “He’s had a bit of time off to get himself ready for red-ball cricket, and I know he’s looking forward to playing for Northern Districts in the second round of the Plunket Shield in the lead-up to the first Test.”Tickner, meanwhile, played the most recent of his three Tests against Sri Lanka in early 2023. On his return to the ODI side against England he claimed eight wickets in two matches.”Both Jacob and Blair have been around a while and know what it takes to perform at the highest level,” Walter said. “They’ve impressed in their white-ball opportunities so far this summer and we back them to do so in the Test arena if called upon.”Zak couldn’t have performed much better in his first Test against Zimbabwe. That, along with his recent form across the white-ball tours, has rightfully earned him selection.”Matt Fisher (shin), Will O’Rourke (back) and Ben Sears (hamstring) were not considered for selection due to injury.The West Indies series marks New Zealand’s first matches of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle

New Zealand squad for 1st Test vs West Indies

Tom Latham (capt), Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Kane Williamson, Will Young

If Bashir has been the poster boy for the “attributes over averages” approach, Dawson has been the unwitting figure-head for the vocal opposition

Vithushan Ehantharajah16-Jul-20251:30

Ehantharajah expects Dawson to shine for England

On Monday evening, as the dust settled on their 22-run win over India, the England Test side gathered in the home dressing room at Lord’s.As is custom, players and staff took turns to speak. Coaches usually go first, then players if they feel compelled to do so. This time, more of the latter stood up to say their piece.The common theme throughout the speeches was Shoaib Bashir. His dismissal of Mohammed Siraj to take England to a 2-1 series lead was used a springboard to talk about his bravery after breaking his left pinkie finger in India’s first innings.Related

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Though only confirmed officially at the end of the match, it was clear soon after Bashir was struck by a powerful return drive from Ravindra Jadeja that he was out of the series. But Bashir soldiered on, batting in India’s second innings to put on seven with Jofra Archer in the final stand, facing Jasprit Bumrah for five of his nine deliveries. Then, having convinced Ben Stokes to use him on the final day, fielded valiantly with just his right hand during his three- and 2.5-over spells, hidden in the field but occasionally in play around the boundary.Shoaib Bashir bowled with a heavily strapped left hand in the second innings at Lord’s•Getty ImagesBashir is a popular member of the dressing room, the youthful exuberance he brings as a 21-year old still carrying a sense of “how cool is playing Test cricket?” a reminder to the rest how lucky they are to do what they do. The words of his teammates were as much a reflection of his standing, bravery and the heavy sympathy that, for now, his journey is over.”It would be remiss to not mention Bash, the person who’s broken his hand.” said Joe Root, when running the rule over the intense five days.”The way he put his body on the line, he went out there and fielded with a broken hand. And took the winning wicket. For a 21-year-old lad to go out there with his whole career ahead of him, going in and watching him bat last night. There’s no better motivation for the rest of the blokes to put everything they could into the day. And for him to be, I guess, big enough and brave enough to do that, it shows what it means to everyone.”There are obviously personal accolades that you can achieve throughout your Test career. But when you put the team first like that, I think that’s a really special thing. I think that’s the biggest honour for anyone within our group. To see such a young lad do that for the rest of the crew.”Shoaib Bashir is engulfed by team-mates after he picked up the last wicket at Lord’s•Getty ImagesSince debuting in India at the start of 2024, Bashir has almost become a bit of a mascot for the team, and not in the pejorative sense. While his 68 Test dismissals have come at 39.00, his strike rate of 61.7 is the eighth highest among English spinners, sandwiched between Graeme Swann (60.1) and Moeen Ali (61.8).Though there remains doubt as to whether he is the right spinner for this team, internally, the desire to “hot house” his talent has been aligned with cordoning off the greenhouse from any stones. Stokes, Brendon McCullum or assistant coach Jeetan Patel’s, who oversees Bashir’s development, defend Bashir staunchly.The same was afforded to Jack Leach, even when he was dropped at the start of the 2024 season for Bashir. After Bashir had bowled England to victory over West Indies at Trent Bridge that summer, Stokes made a note of calling Leach to reassert his admiration for the left-arm spinner, who went on to make the tour of Pakistan later that year.Shoaib Bashir’s other wicket al Lord’s apart from Mohammed Siraj was KL Rahul•Getty ImagesThere is an understanding among the management group that English spinners need unequivocal support to thrive. Long stints and malleable tactics on the field, or arm around the shoulder and phone calls off it, even when they’re not involved. Of all the disciplines, spin requires a more holistic approach.The result of this is other spinners beyond the team look upon England treat their ilk with a great deal of respect, and a hint of FOMO. Perhaps even a tinge of jealously in the case of Bashir – plucked out of near-obscurity and remains something of a non-entity on the domestic scene, with his departure from Somerset imminent.The feeling among established domestic players is the Test side is a bit of a closed shop. But, like Hamleys, there are few better shops to be locked in.Which brings us neatly onto Liam Dawson. With 371 first-class wickets and 18 centuries – along with being an exceptional fielder – the left-arm spinner is undoubtedly the standout candidate in his craft. His absence up until his call-up for the fourth Test to replace Bashir has been a regular point of contention.If Bashir has been the poster boy for the “attributes over averages” approach, Dawson has been the unwitting figure-head for the vocal opposition. Since the 2023 season, Dawson has 124 dismissals, with last year’s 54 alongside 956 runs at 59.75 earning enough support from his domestic peers to win the men’s PCA player of the year award. Even this summer, his 21 at 40.04 have been with an economy rate of just 2.55.Liam Dawson is back in the Test side after eight years, thanks to strong all-round performances in County cricket•Getty ImagesDawson’s relationship with the current decision makers has not been smooth. Having turned down a call-up to a 2023 tour of Bangladesh for the PSL, he was informed he would be in England’s ODI World Cup squad, only to find himself omitted altogether. At that season’s PCA awards do, he revealed accepting a call-up for the India Test series in the New Year would not be straightforward given a clash with a lucrative SA20 stint with Sunrisers Eastern Cape.It did not come, with Bashir, Leach, Lancashire’s Tom Hartley and Leicestershire leg spinner Rehan Ahmed picked ahead of him. That in turn led to a frank admission to ESPNcricinfo at the start of the 2024 domestic season that he was “probably not” keen to play Test cricket again. Having made the last of his three caps in 2017, it was now “completely off the radar”.And yet here we are, with Dawson now leapfrogging the centrally contracted duo of Leach and Rehan. A starting berth at Manchester looks odds on given Stokes’ penchant for a spinner; only once in 39 Tests since he and McCullum joined forces at the start of the 2022 summer has an England team not featured a spinner – Root aside – in their XI.You wonder if some guarantee was made to Dawson considering he has stated publicly he has no intention of carrying drinks at the age of 35. What is clear is his international return under McCullum last month, taking 4 for 20 in the first of the three-match T20I series against West Indies, has worked both ways. Not only did it underline his quality to those he has spurned before, but it confirmed to Dawson there was a way back in.It is worth remembering the absurd situation around Dawson’s last two Test caps. Against South Africa, Root and then-head coach Trevor Bayliss galaxy-brained picking him expressly in the role of “first spinner”, a status they felt took the pressure off Moeen, who was *actually* first choice. When Moeen took 10 at Lord’s and then four in the next Test at Headingley, Dawson had served his purpose, and was discarded like a pair of training wheels.Eight years on, more grizzled, more experienced and certainly more sceptical, Dawson at least knows he will be backed outright. His previous experience of Test cricket will be a far cry from the environment he comes into. And though more will be expected of him than Bashir, he will be afforded all the same support and perceived luxuries to thrive.

Big picture: Series sweep on India’s mind

The late Khushwant Singh, one of the more illustrious lovers and residents of Delhi, called October in the city the “pleasantest” of all the months in the northern hemisphere. Like with most things Khushwant, the statement sparks lively debate, especially with lovers of spring in late February and March.This is all relative now: with rampant urbanisation and climate change, it is now more about which months are less unpleasant and less harmful to your health. The BCCI has just about winged the most harmful time for elite athletes to undertake high-performance activity – not before being called out for it – and the early snowfall in the hills has cooled the temperatures to the usual October levels to tease those given to wistfulness for the Delhi of old.Related

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Those given to wistfulness also yearn for the West Indies of the old. Not the one that lasted just 89.2 overs in the first Test. More importantly, not the one that looked unthreatening with the ball in an effort of 5 for 448. Not the side whose coach Daren Sammy has to hope a player will “accept” the opportunity when he calls to inform them they have been selected for West Indies.There is not a lot West Indies can hope to change between the two Tests. Ahmedabad, with an early-season greenness on the pitch, was their best chance, but they were without the Josephs, Alzarri and Shamar. In Delhi, the onus will be more on the slower bowlers.It doesn’t help that India are somewhere close to their best after the blip against New Zealand last year. With the exception of Rishabh Pant, whose fractured foot hasn’t fully healed yet, they are at full strength. They are keen on making this a clean sweep, which will take their WTC points percentage to 61.9, still in third place.

Form guide

India WWDLW
West Indies LLLLW1:33

Chopra: ‘West Indies batters need belief on better batting pitch’

In the spotlight: Nitish Kumar Reddy and Jomel Warrican

Test cricket is not where you prepare players for the future, but like Hardik Pandya almost a decade ago, India want to give Nitish Kumar Reddy a proper workload in slightly lesser challenges so that he can be the seam-bowling allrounder India need not just in away Tests but also the ODI World Cup in South Africa in 2027. Ryan ten Doeschate, their assistant coach, said just that two days before this Test. In Ahmedabad, he got to bowl only four overs and didn’t get to bat at all. It remains to be seen if India go out of their way to involve him more in this Test.Jomel Warrican is the vice-captain of the side, their most experienced specialist spinner, and joint-most experienced bowler. But he averages 54.25 in four Tests against India, two each at home and away. He will want to do way better in Delhi than the 29-5-102-1 he returned in Ahmedabad.0:49

Chopra: ‘Sai Sudharsan needs runs or the pressure will mount’

Team news: Could Devdutt Padikkal get a game?

India have no reason to change their XI. However, is B Sai Sudharsan feeling any heat, and is Devdutt Padikkal breathing down his neck?India (possible): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 B Sai Sudharsan, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed SirajIt doesn’t make a lot of sense to change the batting on such a short trip. The one change West Indies might consider is bringing in Jediah Blades to give themselves a left-arm seam option.West Indies (possible): 1 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 2 John Campbell, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Brandon King, 5 Shai Hope (wk), 6 Roston Chase (capt), 7 Justin Greaves, 8 Jomel Warrican, 9 Khary Pierre, 10 Johann Layne/Jediah Blades, 11 Jayden Seales

Pitch and conditions

Delhi is likely to be a typical Indian track, good for batting on the first two-and-a-bit days before bringing the spinners into the game. The drop in temperatures should make it difficult for the pitch to break up suddenly. The week in the lead-up to the Test has brought some rain, but the Test is not likely to be affected.3:31

Sammy: ‘Our problems are rooted deep into our system’

Stats and trivia

• India haven’t lost a Test in Delhi since November 1987, which, incidentally, was to West Indies. Since then, they have won 12 and drawn 12.
• Ravindra Jadeja is ten short of 4000 Test runs. Only Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Daniel Vettori before him have achieved the double of 4000 runs and 300 wickets.

Quotes

“We think it would be unfair on the guy [Reddy] if we only play him overseas. Because that doesn’t give him that many opportunities. In the next year and a half, we aren’t playing that many matches outside of India, so to be able to back a guy who can bowl 10-15 overs in a day and can bat as well – we sat his ability and potential in Australia – so we want to give him as much game time in India to help him.”
India captain Shubman Gill doesn’t feel Reddy is an option only for overseas Tests“If we complain about not having the best facilities, not having enough manpower like the other teams, not having the best technology, all these things which the other teams are superior to us [in], then why the hell are they still outworking us? The only way we could match up [and] compete at a consistent level is if we as the coaches and the players are prepared to outwork the opposition, and we’re not doing that.”

“I am not trying to make a place for myself in the India team – if I have the ability to make the team win, then only I want to play”

Daya Sagar29-Sep-20242:40

Radha: ‘Can only justify playing if I’m helping the team win’

There are the star batters. And then there are the spinners. The main sources of strength, and hope, for India at the T20 World Cup in the UAE next month. At the forefront of that spin attack are Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav, the senior pros, and the second of those, Radha, is talking up the spinners’ preparedness for the task at hand: “Whatever the pitch, the conditions and the pressure of big matches, we are ready.”With Shreyanka Patil and Asha Sobhana, plus the part-timers, for company, Radha, with her left-arm spin bowled with a high action, and offspinner Deepti form a formidable spin attack.Related

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“Look, whatever the team combination, all of us spinners are ready. Our preparations are going on,” Radha told ESPNcricinfo at a QUA brand shoot in Delhi earlier this month. “We [the spinners] always talk about what kind of pitch we are playing on and how to bowl on that pitch, how much turn we should try to get, which variations to bowl… There is a good bonding among the four of us, even though this spin quartet is new.”Not long ago, Radha had found herself out of the India T20I team. She wasn’t in the mix after the T20 World Cup in South Africa, in February 2023, and only returned to the lineup after WPL 2024 for the tour of Bangladesh in April 2024.Speaking in May, Radha had attributed her success at the WPL – ten wickets at an economy of 7.48 – to being calmer and less aggressive than before: “Because of the aggression, I used to lose my rhythm at times. So now, I try to be calm with a smiling face.” Since her comeback, she has picked 22 wickets in 13 matches and has conceded runs at only 6.27. The change has worked, clearly.Since her comeback, Radha Yadav has picked 22 wickets in 13 T20Is and has conceded runs at only 6.27•Getty Images”I am not trying to make a place for myself in the India team, if I have the skill and the ability to make the team win, then only I want to play,” she said. “Otherwise, I don’t think I have to be a permanent member of the team. The only thing that goes on in my mind is how much I should improve myself so that I can make my team win in any situation.”Not trying to win every battle and every moment of a game have helped too.”If you have gone through a bad time, then to come back after that, your mindset should be very good, so that you can accept everything and express yourself,” Radha said. “Amol [Muzumdar, the head coach] sir has told me a lot about controlled aggression, and I have learned controlled aggression from him.”Earlier I used to think only about cricket. But my friends explained to me that sometimes one has to go out, one has to enjoy life. Cricket is just a part of life, not the whole life. Now when I am not playing cricket, I don’t think about cricket too much. I live with my parents. I go to cafes with friends. My hobbies are playing FIFA, dancing, going on long drives; I have started doing all this a lot more now.”But it isn’t, and can’t be, only about a mindset change. Sure, it has helped Radha visibly, but she has looked a better bowler, more penetrative, more impactful.

“The learning and teaching are not limited to cricket only; we learn a lot as human beings too. We see how a big player is playing, their approach, their mistakes, their failures. There is a lot to learn”Radha Yadav on the biggest benefit of franchise cricket

“I always see how much more I can improve, how much fitter I can get, how much I can sweat in the gym… all these things are in my hands,” Radha said. “Of course, no one can say that ‘okay, I have done all this, now I will also get the results’. That is not in my hand. After this, whatever results come, I accept that too.”Yes, earlier it was a little difficult – ‘I am working so hard and the result should also be good’. But that does not happen. Everyone is working hard, but the result will come only when it has to come. I think I have figured it out.”Some skills keep changing because you cannot use the same skillset all the time. You have to evolve. But if you are successful in a skill, then you can continue. But your basics should be clear to you, only then you can evolve.”8:27

Newsroom: Is this India Women’s best chance to win the World Cup?

The turnaround began at the WPL this year. Radha has played for Sydney Sixers in the WBBL in the past, but her latest coming can be linked directly to the WPL where, incidentally, Patil and Sobhana were the top-two wicket-takers. The franchise circuit is certainly helping women’s cricket.”A lot of players come together in franchise cricket. Our domestic players also learn a lot from foreign players. We international players also learn a lot from them,” Radha said. “The learning and teaching are not limited to cricket only; we learn a lot as human beings too. We see how a big player is playing, their approach, their mistakes, their failures. There is a lot to learn.”Now there is the T20 World Cup. In the UAE. There is a lot of hope going around, that this might be India’s turn to get the global title they haven’t so far. If India are to pull it off, spin will have to play a massive role. Hearing – and reading – Radha, and looking at her performances in the recent past, she does seem ready for it.

Former South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk wants to “prove something to myself,” as she gears up to make her international comeback.She is set to make her return against Ireland on Friday at Newlands, where she has been playing domestic cricket since retiring from the international game in 2023 and wants to show herself, not anyone else, that she still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.”That’s the main goal – just proving to myself that I can really tick those boxes that I want to tick. I know if I tick those boxes, I will contribute to the team, hopefully in winning situations. That’s what it’s all about for me,” van Niekerk said at a pre-tour camp in Cape Town. “I didn’t think the day would come. It means a lot. It means the world. I got my clothes (national kit) again, and it felt like it was my clothes for the first time. I got a new helmet as well. I was like a child. That’s what it means to me to be here.”Van Niekerk reversed her retirement in August and is still in some disbelief that she has been recalled though she has been in good form this summer. She is currently the fourth-highest run-scorer in the domestic one-day cup, the seventh highest in the T20 competition, and has scored four fifties in seven innings across formats in the last two months. Though she has not been bowling, van Niekerk is “crossing fingers it wants to come,” and is ready to contribute in any way she can.”A lot of things have changed since I was part of the team, and for the good. The intensity is through the roof. For me, contributing, whether it’s knowledge, whether it’s tactics, whether it’s chats about cricket and experiences, if I can do it with the bat in hand or in the field, whichever way, in a positive manner, if I can contribute, I’d be happy,” she said.Van Niekerk had the same aim when she signed for Western Province at the start of the last season: to help out. “Initially, the goal was to give back and really assist the young players. I made it quite clear that I don’t want to do it for no reason. I’m taking somebody’s spot and contrary to what people think. I’m not doing it for the money,” van Niekerk said. “Then, I did okay in the season and then I got a call from this big guy with a big personality (head coach Mandla Mashimbyi) and I just had a conversation, and that made me sign again for Western Province. Even then, with the emotions and everything, I didn’t know. But then my why got a lot bigger. I just needed some time to process everything. I’m still processing some stuff, but the why was very clear to me. I guess that’s when the real work started, and it’s still continuing. I’m really proud of the strides I’ve made. There’s still a lot of hard work, but from where I was to where I am now, I’m pretty damn proud.”