New Zealand vs West Indies 2017: 5 NZ players to watch out for in the Test series

Test cricket will return now to New Zealand after a gap of about eight months - which was also the last time the Kiwis played Test cricket. At home, New Zealand have been a tough team to beat as they have lost only 7 Tests at home since 2010.

Thus, New Zealand will fancy their chances to get back on track after their series loss to South Africa in March earlier this year.

Though they lost that series against the Proteas, they fought hard and were a bit unlucky with rain affecting their chances in two of the three Tests. In 2017, out of 5 Tests, they won 2, lost 1 and drew 2.

Also, the Windies are touring New Zealand after a gap of about 4 years.

Here we take a look at 5 Black Caps players to watch out for.

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#5 Kane Williamson

The quiet nature of the New Zealand skipper has meant that his performances have largely gone unnoticed in 2017. Kane Williamson has enjoyed a very good year in all three formats (amassing more than 1200 runs at an average close to 50).

Right from the start of the year, he has been very consistent. However, particularly in Tests, he has been excellent. In 5 Tests played this year, he has scored 468 runs (with 3 hundreds) at a brilliant average of 78.

He is also a key part of New Zealand’s middle order as he controls the innings at No. 3. He will also need to counter the pace and aggression of a red-hot Windies pace attack (which comprises Gabriel, Roach, Holder and Cummins) who have been in some good form of late.

Hence, an in-form Williamson will be one of the players to watch out for in the series.

#4 Ross Taylor

Ross Taylor

Like his skipper, Ross Taylor holds the middle order together, and is a vital member of the New Zealand line-up. Taylor has an excellent temperament and can bat in any situation.

He too has enjoyed a fair amount of success in 2017. Though he hasn’t touched the three-figure mark in 2017 in any format, he has been pretty consistent with the starts he’s been getting. In the whites, he has scores of 40, 60, 77 and 15 (not out) this year. He missed the last two Tests against South Africa due to a calf injury, so he will be eager to continue from where he left off (in Test cricket) in March.

New Zealand will hope that their most experienced batsman converts his promising starts and goes on to register big scores.

#3 Neil Wagner

Wagner can run in and bowl with maximum intensity all day

The South African-born fast bowler is a proper Test specialist for the Kiwis. He can bowl long spells at a very good pace. He is a typical workhorse of a bowler.

In New Zealand’s home season earlier this year, Wagner was the only fast bowler who played all 5 Tests, bowling more than 200 overs. He picked up 22 wickets in those 5 games. He was in the wickets tally almost every time he bowled this year and has gone wicket-less only in one innings (and that innings was incomplete with rain washing out a major part of the innings).

Also, Wagner’s performances are generally overshadowed by spearheads Boult and Southee. Thus, with Southee missing the first Test, the 31-year old fast bowler becomes crucial for the Blackcaps.

#2 Trent Boult

New Zealand will bank on Boult to provide early breakthroughs.

Trent Boult is one of the best new ball bowlers across formats in the world at the moment. A typical swing bowler who has the ability to move the ball both ways, he can adapt to different situations and different pitches very smartly. That is one of the main reasons he is rated so highly in world cricket.

Rated as one half of the best new-ball pairs in the history of New Zealand cricket by Sir Richard Hadlee, Boult has a stellar home record. He has taken 89 wickets in 18 home Tests at an average of 25.85.

In 2017, the Kiwi spearhead has picked up 17 wickets and has been the 2nd highest wicket-taker for New Zealand this year. A groin injury in March earlier this year meant that Boult could only take part in 3 Tests. However, Boult’s form has been brilliant. He has been superb in white-ball cricket particularly, where he has picked up 32 wickets (in both ODIs and T20Is).

The New Zealand spearhead will look to continue his rich vein of form into red-ball cricket and help the Kiwis off to a positive start for this home season.

#1 Tom Latham

Tom Latham

Tom Latham is easily one of the most improved New Zealand batsman over the last couple of years. Latham has become reliable and consistent across formats, and shown that he can adapt to different conditions and situations.

However, the Canterbury opener didn’t have the best of times against South Africa, as he could score only 74 runs in 4 innings. But his performance before the South Africa series was brilliant and he is currently back to excellent form. He scored 206 at a stunning average of 103 against India in the recently concluded ODI series in India.

With a relatively new opening partner in Jeet Raval, Latham holds the key at the top of the order for the Kiwis. His main challenge will be countering the threat of the aggressive new ball pair of Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel, both of whom are in some very good form.

His contribution, the platform that he provides along with Raval and the way they tackle the new ball, could well determine how well the Blackcaps fare against the Windies.