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Opinion

New Zealand's obsession with Santner for Tests needs to stop

3rd January, 2021
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Roar Guru
3rd January, 2021
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Friday, 27 November 2015, was a historic day in international cricket as fans around the world witnessed the first day-night Test, with Australia and New Zealand locking horns at the Adelaide Oval.

For New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner it was an even bigger occasion – the New Zealand all-rounder was making his Test debut. From being New Zealand’s second spinner on debut, Santner has become New Zealand’s frontline spinner in Test cricket.

Come January 2020 and Santner has played 23 Tests, but his numbers as a spinner are not convincing. In 38 innings Santner has picked up 41 wickets at an average of 43.97, a strike rate of 95 and with no five-wicket hauls till date. Worryingly, Santner has picked up only 84 wickets in 53 first-class games with a best bowling figure of 4-111.

Here are Santner’s numbers as a sole spinner and how he has also fared with a spin duo and spin trio.

Configuraton Total Average Strike rate
Lone spinner 23/1056 45.91 98.22
Spin duo (per Test) 13/568 43.69 100.61
Spin trio (overall) 5/173 38.6 66.4

Santner’s numbers, whether as a lone spinner or playing alongside other spinners, scream that he’s a Test match-quality spinner. At times Santner has found himself out of the Black Caps Test side when available, with either Mark Craig, Ajaz Patel or Jeetan Patel opted as New Zealand’s lone spinner or an extra seam bowling option at his expense.

What was worrying for Santner was how woeful he was when the Black Caps toured Australia last summer. He never applies any pressure to the Australian side or picked off wickets at crucial stages when the Kiwis were under the pump.

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So who should replace Santner? Simple: either Ajaz Patel or William Somerville. The duo made their debuts in the UAE against Pakistan in 2018, playing a crucial part in spinning New Zealand to a series victory. Patel and Somerville both have much better first-class records than Santner.

Santner has played in only one of New Zealand’s four home Tests this summer. Had Ajaz Patel not been injured, Santner would never have been called up. But Will Somerville has shown more effectiveness as a spinner compared to Santner in the four Tests he has played so far, which is why I found it surprising to see him excluded from New Zealand’s Test squad this summer.

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If the Black Caps want to replicate their home success away from New Zealand, having a wicket-taking spinner is one step towards that goal. Kane Williamson cannot always rely on his seamers to knock over oppositions, especially on flatter wickets, and will need his slower bowlers to rise up when needed.

If Santner wants to win Test matches for New Zealand, he needs to go dominate first-class cricket for a few seasons, like Ajaz Patel did for three years before head selector Gavin Larsen called him up. While he has the ability to win games for New Zealand, it’s Ajaz Patel’s time now. New Zealand cannot afford to carry passengers in their Test squad, especially with the depth that has been building in New Zealand cricket in the past few years.

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