Lockie Ferguson All Set To Lead New Zealand For The First Time In An ODI Series Against Bangladesh

New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson will lead the national cricket team for the first time during the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh later this month. Skipper Tom Latham and other senior players are rested for their final assignment before the ODI World Cup 2023 in India.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has revealed the 15-member squad for the upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh, scheduled to take place from September 21 to 26 in Dhaka. Lockie Ferguson, who gained experience leading the team in tour matches in England, will lead the Black Caps in Bangladesh.

The Kiwis are currently playing a series against England, comprising four T20Is and four ODIs. Senior players, including Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, and Tim Southee, have been rested to provide them with a break before the upcoming World Cup.

Kane Williamson is not included in the squad as he is still recovering from an injury. Mark Chapman and James Neesham are unavailable for personal reasons. Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, and Adam Milne will form the pace bowling attack. Spin bowling duties will be shared by Ish Sodhi, Rachin Ravindra, and Cole McConchie.

Lockie Ferguson Is An Experienced Bowler – Gary Stead

New Zealand coach Gary Stead stated that they decided to send a second-string squad to Bangladesh due to their busy schedule, with a focus on keeping players and staff fresh for the World Cup 2023.

“Lockie is an experienced bowler at the international level, and this is an opportunity for him to really lead from the front with not just the bowling group but the team as a whole. He stepped into the role for the warm-up matches in England and led a group with a lot of moving parts well,” Stead said.

“We have a very full schedule between now until the end of our tour to Pakistan in April including the World Cup and the start of the new World Test Championship cycle so trying to keep players and staff fresh and ready at the right times is paramount,” he added.

“Balancing workloads also provides opportunities and it’s exciting to have different players in the group and learning in an environment like Bangladesh. It can be a challenging place to tour and getting used to different conditions quickly will be important over the next few months,” he concluded.

New Zealand ODI Squad: Lockie Ferguson (c), Finn Allen, Tom Blundell, Trent Boult. Chad Bowes, Dane Cleaver, Dean Foxcroft, Kyle Jamieson, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young

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