Opinion
Similar to my Australia versus Rest of the World Series, I’ve decided to choose a Rest of the World squad to tour New Zealand.
In the 2010s only Pakistan, Australia and South Africa have triumphed in New Zealand, showing how difficult it is to win there. In the past four years only South Africa has won a series in New Zealand, so they do have a real fortress at home.
The series will be played in four grounds: Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton and Wellington.
New Zealand squad
Tom Latham, Tom Blundell, Kane Williamson (captain), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (wicketkeeper), Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson, Devon Conway, Will Young.
Rest of the World squad
Tamim Iqbal, Dean Elgar, Steve Smith, Virat Kohli (captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Angelo Mathews, Quinton De Kock (wk), Keshav Maharaj, Ishant Sharma, Stuart Broad, Kemar Roach, Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson, Joe Root, Dinesh Chandimal.
Tamim Iqbal
Since his Test debut in Dunedin, Tamim Iqbal has tormented New Zealand bowlers in their den. Regardless of the conditions and the pitch, Iqbal has played his natural game, and it has paid off many times. With six 50s and one century in seven Tests in New Zealand at an average of 47.85, I’d probably go as far as saying he’s the best foreign Test opener in New Zealand currently. I’ve never seen an opener make the trio of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner look bang average in their own conditions the way Iqbal has.
Dean Elgar
A tough and gritty opener, Elgar is the perfect mould for Iqbal. He loves grinding out new ball attacks and has a respectable record in New Zealand with 265 runs at 44.17 with one century and one 50. Kraigg Braithwaite was another option, but Elgar just takes out the West Indian opener to partner Iqbal.
Steve Smith
Just some bloke from the Shire who averages 131 in New Zealand.
(Visionhaus)
Virat Kohli
Kohli has had his ups and downs in New Zealand, averaging 71 in his first dig and 9.5 in his second. He’s had only had three poor Test series in his whole career – after all, he is human – and that has caused his average in England and New Zealand to be lower than 40. Nonetheless, I still back him to do well in New Zealand conditions, and his hundred at the Basin Reserve proves he can do well in New Zealand.
Shakib Al Hasan
Believe it or not, I’m taking Shakib as a specialist batsman in New Zealand. The Bangladesh superstar averages 73 in New Zealand with two 100s and two 50s in four Test matches. With his first Test ton in Hamilton and his career-best score of 217 in Wellington, it’d be pretty stupid not to include Shakib Al Hasan in this squad. With only the Hamilton pitch suiting spinners, that’d be the only time Al Hasan would really be considered to play as an all-rounder.
Angelo Mathews
If Ben Stokes was averaging 93 with the bat and 35 with the ball in New Zealand instead of averaging 35 with the bat and 93 with the ball, he’d be a shoo-in. But Angelo Mathews has outdone his English counterpart. With a batting average of 55.89 and a bowling average of 33 in New Zealand, Mathews’s stats show that he is more than capable of scoring runs and making breakthroughs in New Zealand.
Quinton de Kock
South Africa’s Adam Gilchrist, De Kock has this ability to score fast runs regardless of what the situation is. In New Zealand, the South African keeper has an unbelievable record with bat and gloves, with 15 dismissals and 210 runs with two 50s at an average of 52.5.
(AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Keshav Maharaj
Nathan Lyon averages 22 with the ball in New Zealand, but it was impossible to leave out the South African finger spinner. In three Tests in New Zealand Maharaj has picked up 15 wickets at an average of 19.93 with two five-wicket hauls. Sorry, Garry, but Maharaj just ekes you out.
Ishant Sharma
With improved bowling figures over the past few years and a great record in New Zealand, Sharma gets the nod for me. With 28 wickets at an average of 28.11 and three five-wicket hauls, I’d have to question myself if I didn’t include the Indian workhorse.
Stuart Broad
With New Zealand conditions quite similar to those in England, I had to choose an English bowler. Tom Felton’s lookalike has a good record in New Zealand, picking up 34 wickets at an average of 28.47 with two five-wicket hauls.
Kemar Roach
Roach is starting to find his pace back, and boy has that spelt good news for West Indian cricket. Roach was West Indies’ best bowler in their horror tour of New Zealand in 2016, picking up six wickets in two innings at an average of 28.5.
Josh Hazlewood
If it wasn’t for Brendon McCullum smashing the New South Wales quick all over Christchurch in his final Test, Hazlewood would be averaging less than 30 in New Zealand. He’d be the backup quick for me, and his nagging line and length has troubled New Zealand in the past.
James Pattinson
While Pattinson has played the solitary Test in New Zealand, his pace ruffled the Kiwi batsmen in Wellington 2016, taking six wickets in the game at an average of 26.33. But he did go for a few runs.
Babar Azam
It was a tussle between Azam and Joe Root, but I’ve gone ahead with the Pakistan batsman. He’s a much-improved batsman than he was before and is a quality batsman. He’d be a handy backup option on the bench to consider should one of the top six batsmen lose form.
Dinesh Chandimal
Chandimal has a decent record in New Zealand, and he’s going as my backup keeper. With four 50s in nine innings in New Zealand, the Sri Lankan cricketer has often scored runs with the lower order and succeeded.
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