And while selectors and coaching staff are hoping for a best-case scenario later in the year against India and Australia, there is also realism that they will likely need to call on various options for six Test matches that are basically back-to-back from mid-November to early January – the longest gap is seven days between the end of the India series and the first Test against Australia in Perth.
“But look, already you can see off the back of three Test matches against England, you can see the attrition rate. I’m glancing down and seeing four names that are back on the physio table or under the knife, so I’m very conscious of that. The depth of those fast bowlers is crucial and us managing their workloads and their return-to-play processes is critical.”
“Obviously it’s always a day-by-day monitoring job around the quick bowlers. Kyle has got the history of the injuries, and he’s been off the park a lot in the last couple of years, so to have him back and operating at full speed is excellent”
Gavin Larsen on Kyle Jamieson
Jamieson is an example of someone who is already being carefully handled by the selectors after an early decision was taken that he would play the first two Tests against England and miss the third, even when New Zealand suffered further injuries. Jamieson went through major back surgery in 2024, and the Lord’s Test was his first in more than two years. But all indications were that he had come through his return well.
“Really, really pleased about that,” Larsen said. “Obviously it’s always a day-by-day monitoring job around the quick bowlers. Kyle has got the history of the injuries, and he’s been off the park a lot in the last couple of years, so to have him back and operating at full speed is excellent.
“He has attributes that you want in a fast bowler: he’s tall, he gets bounce, he gets movement. So he’s a vital component of our line-up. But then I could go through… I would throw someone like a Nathan Smith into the mix now and the role that he played in that No. 8 role as the fourth seamer – well, I mean, he’s better than a fourth seamer, I think he proved that. When you think of Henry and O’Rourke and the supporting cast, yeah, it’s looking positive.”
The success in England – becoming the first team to win after coming back from 1-0 down in a series of three matches in the country – is the first major tick for New Zealand in a mega year of Test cricket that will resume with India’s visit in November before the trip across the Tasman, where they could face an Australia side with some uncertainty in their batting, as they push for another World Test Championship final.
“We were full of hope [last time] and that was the Boult, Southee, Wagner, Henry era and we saw how that unfolded,” he said. “I’ll be guarded with my answer… I think we have got some talent. If we’ve got everyone fit, then I believe we’ve got the attributes to challenge the Australian team.
“We know how good they are in their home conditions and we say it year in, year out, it’s the ultimate test really for New Zealand. I can’t wait for it already but I’ve got everything crossed that we’ve got all our fast bowlers fit and ready to go.”
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at Cricinfo
