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Tom Latham To Drop Tim Southee? New Zealand's Probable XI For 1st Test Against India

Tim Southee to be dropped [Source: @Cric_beat/X.com]Tim Southee to be dropped [Source: @Cric_beat/X.com]

India and New Zealand will lock horns at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on October 16 in the first Test of their two-match series. The Kiwis are under pressure, having suffered a 2-0 series defeat to Sri Lanka in Galle. That setback has left them sixth in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings, making their path to the WTC Finals highly challenging.

The upcoming series offers New Zealand a chance to redeem themselves and secure their first away Test series win in three years. However, standing in their way is a dominant Indian side known for its formidable record at home.

In preparation for the series against India, New Zealand made a significant leadership change. After the loss to Sri Lanka, Tim Southee stepped down as captain, and Tom Latham was handed the responsibility to lead the team. The absence of star batter Kane Williamson, who is unavailable for the first Test, further complicates New Zealand’s task. Will Young might step in at No. 3 to fill the void left by Williamson.

Possible Changes To The Playing XI

New Zealand are likely to tweak its playing XI following poor performances in recent matches. Tim Southee’s place in the team is under scrutiny due to his declining form. In the Sri Lanka series, he managed just two wickets in three innings. Earlier this year, he picked up only four wickets in two matches against Australia. Given these numbers, the team may opt to replace him with Matt Henry, who offers both pace and control.

William O’Rourke will spearhead the pace attack, with Ajaz Patel leading the spin department. The rest of the lineup is expected to remain largely unchanged, giving the squad some much-needed stability.

New Zealand Playing XI For 1st Test Against India:

Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Blundell (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke