NZ vs ENG 2024: Gary Stead hints Mitchell Santner’s inclusion in 2nd Test

Mitchell Santner did not make the squad for the opening Test match against England in Christchurch, even though he had a great time in the series against India. The hosts are already behind 1-0 in the series after ultimately losing by eight wickets. Head coach Gary Stead stated prior to the second game that while the team management is thinking about bringing back Santner, a decision has not yet been made.

Speaking about this, Gary Stead said they will keep an eye on the decision and make a final judgement prior to the second Test, which is scheduled to start on December 6. The surface in Wellington often favours the spinners. The management is taking into consideration Santner’s ability to contribute with the bat in addition to bowling. Regarding the batting lineup as a whole, Stead praised Glenn Phillips for his good adaptation and mentioned that Tom Blundell will have support.

That’s probably the most important choice to make. Given how spin-friendly Wellington was the previous season, I suppose Mitch’s (Santner) selection was made in response. But when we get up there and have a look, we’ll keep an eye on that,” Stead told reporters.

We have great confidence in Tom Blundell. Additionally, Glenn Phillips has gotten quite skilled at batting with the tail and has done a fantastic job at it. We believe Tom Blundell is our man to continue coming right, and we have a lot of faith that he will. He played some crucial innings for us. Everybody always wants more. I believe that playing in New Zealand might be among the most difficult situations in the globe.

Support for Devon Conway by Gary Stead

Devon Conway, the opener for New Zealand, only managed 10 runs against England in the first Test match. Although Stead encouraged him to quickly establish his stride and leave his mark, his performance in the longest format is also worrying.

“You don’t lose that class over a week or a month, and Devon is a class player.” Don’t get me wrong, he wants more, but we still believe in Dev’s style of play,” he said.