Due to a shoulder injury, New Zealand captain Tom Latham will not play in the first Test match against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, which begins on July 30. Mitchell Santner, the white-ball captain, has been named stand-in captain during his absence, becoming the 32nd player to captain New Zealand in men’s Test cricket.
Earlier this month, Latham suffered the injury while playing for the Birmingham Bears in a Vitality Blast T20 encounter. The left-handed opener is on the touring team, but he hasn’t healed enough to be included in the starting lineup for the first game of the series.
“As captain and a vital member of the squad, Tom Latham absence from the first Test is extremely upsetting.
Although losing your skipper, who is a top-tier opening batsman and a fantastic team player, is never ideal, we will make every effort to have him available for the second Test. At this point, we’re optimistic that he’ll recover in time, but we’ll keep an eye on him and determine if a replacement player is required,” head coach Rob Walter stated.
However, Tom Latham will stay with the team in anticipation of his comeback for the second Test starting on August 7. The management has not yet announced a replacement player and is optimistic about his recuperation.
Mitch performed admirably for the T20 team: Rob Walte
For the first time, Mitchell Santner assumes the responsibilities in the extended format while Tom Latham is away. A thrilling three-run victory over South Africa in the final was part of the 32-year-old all-rounder’s successful T20I tri-series campaign in Harare with New Zealand’s white-ball team. He was given the red-ball captaincy because of his leadership in that series.
“Mitch performed admirably in this most recent series with the T20 team. He has a solid grasp of the game and was outstanding from a strategic perspective. Even if the format is different, he is respected by the players and will have the help of some very seasoned Test cricketers, so I have no doubt that he will perform admirably,” Walter continued.
Santner has played in 30 Test matches, but this will be his first time leading the team. This is the first red-ball visit of Zimbabwe by New Zealand since 2016. The Test series consists of two matches.
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