Kyle Mills joins New Zealand coaching staff alongside Ben Rohrer for Australia Tests
After getting whitewashed by Australia in the T20I series, the BlackCaps are set to host them in a two-match Test series with the first Test commencing on February 29, Thursday at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Former New Zealand pacer Kyle Mills has joined the Kiwis as the bowling coach and former Australian cricketer Ben Rohrer has joined the BlackCaps’ coaching staff for the Test series against Australia. New Zealand enjoyed recent success in Tests against South Africa where they won the series 2-0 but Australia is a tough challenge.
Kane Williamson will also be back for the Test series after missing the T20Is as he was on parental leave. Williamson was brilliant against South Africa in the recently concluded Test series where he scored a century in both innings of the first Test and also scored a century in the second innings of the second Test match. Kane Williamson boasts an impressive record in Test cricket having scored 8666 runs at an average of 55.91 which includes 33 half-centuries and 32 centuries.
Tim Southee will lead the New Zealand side in the Test series and the BlackCaps will hope to win the series and maintain their top spot in the WTC points table where they have a PCT of 75. Australia is currently third on the WTC Points table with a PCT of 55 whereas India has claimed the second spot with a PCT of 64.58 after winning the series against England. The Kiwis squad will welcome Kyle Mills as their bowling coach for the Test series against Australia.
Kyle Mills has played 19 Test matches, 170 ODIs, and 42 T20Is for New Zealand where he has taken 327 wickets across formats for the BlackCaps. Apart from him, Ben Rohrer is also joining the squad who has represented Australia in one T20I match and has played a lot of franchise and domestic cricket. The first Test of the series will be played in Wellington whereas the second Test match will be played in Christchurch.
Kyle Mills and Ben Rohrer have joined the New Zealand Squad
SQUAD NEWS | Kyle Mills (bowling coach) and Ben Rohrer (fourth coach) have joined the squad for the Tegel Test Series against Australia starting on Thursday at the Basin Reserve. #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/yF3sVPHxwz
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 27, 2024
Australia boasts an impressive record against the Blackcaps in Test cricket. The two teams have played 60 Test matches against each other where Australia have won 34 and New Zealand has won only 8 with 18 matches being drawn between them. New Zealand will be hoping to improve their record against Australia in Test cricket and maintain the No.1 spot in the WTC points table.
This Test series is the battle between two of the World Test Championship title holders as Australia is the current champions whereas New Zealand won the first edition in 2021. It will be an interesting battle between the two Fab 4s, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson. Both of them have a terrific record in Test cricket and if Australia can win the series against New Zealand then they might reclaim their top spot in the WTC points table.
