Photo Credit: New Zealand Cricket
Wellington Firebirds all-rounder Rachin Ravindra has become the youngest New Zealand Test debutant since Ish Sodhi (Bangladesh, 2013), as the BLACKCAPS were asked to bowl in the first Test against India in Kanpur.
The 22-year-old will wear Test cap number 282 and bat at seven in a spin strong bowling line-up featuring Ajaz Patel, Will Somerville and pacemen Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson.
Ravindra was presented his Test cap by Firebirds teammate Tom Blundell who has taken over the Test wicket-keeping gloves of the retired BJ Watling.
Will Young will open the batting in the absence of the injured Devon Conway.
The match is the first for the BLACKCAPS in the new ICC World Test Championship cycle.
The two Test series is live in New Zealand on SKY Sport and SENZ Radio, with live-scoring at nzc.nz.
BLACKCAPS XI v India
Tom Latham
Will Young
Kane Williamson (c)
Ross Taylor
Henry Nicholls
Tom Blundell (wk)
Rachin Ravindra
Kyle Jamieson
Tim Southee
Ajaz Patel
Will Somerville
The New Zealand national cricket team, known as the Black Caps, made their Test debut in 1930 against England in Christchurch, becoming the fifth nation to play Test cricket. After waiting 26 years for their first Test win against the West Indies in 1956, they also played their first ODI in 1972–73 against Pakistan. New Zealand are the inaugural World Test Championship champions (2021) and have won the ICC Champions Trophy (2000). They have reached the Cricket World Cup final twice and the T20 World Cup final once.
