Trent Boult All Set To Miss Second Test Against South Africa

Premier Kiwi pacer Trent Boult, who missed the first test against South Africa is all set to miss the second as well. The management is unwilling to risk Boult who has not got enough time to be a match fit for the second test. Earlier, Boult missed the first Test due to the birth of his third child.

Trent Boult will now play his next Test for the Kiwis in June against England. In between, he will play in the IPL with the board willing its players to send them to the tournament keeping the T20 World Cup 2022 in mind.

New Zealand coach Gary Stead explained the reason behind giving Trent Boult a much-needed break in between. He said that Boult is not yet ready to play the next Test and the management is not willing to risk his injury as well.

Trent Boult To PLay His Next Test Against England In June This Year

“We just felt the risk of him playing was far too great at the moment to do that to him,” Stead said on Monday (February 21).

Matt Henry, who replaced Boult in the playing XI in the first Test picked up a seven-wicket haul and justified the decision of his inclusion in the playing XI.

“He’s always been a good bowler and sometimes you need that opportunity to strike and make the most of it and he certainly made the most of the opportunity that was in front of him.

“He hits the top of off stump and was regularly in that area and he asked hard, hard questions of the batsmen and did it for long periods of time,” Stead said about Henry.

The Kiwis have just one specialist spinner in the squad in Rachin Ravindra who is a handy lower-order batsman as well. Given the conditions in Christchurch, he will remain the lone spin option in the playing XI.

“We considered a [frontline] spin option but didn’t feel as though we needed it on this pitch, through history and the way it was looking after the last Test match,” Stead said.

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