Tom Latham’s dodgy right shoulder has forced New Zealand into a late leadership change for the first Test against Zimbabwe, which begins in Bulawayo on 30 July. Mitchell Santner, the regular white-ball skipper, will take charge while Latham stays with the squad hoping to prove his fitness for the second match on 7 August.
The opener jarred the joint diving in the deep during a Vitality Blast stint for Birmingham Bears earlier this month. Despite a fortnight of rehab, he still can’t throw or drive at full tilt. New Zealand have therefore resisted rushing him, mindful that a two-match series leaves little margin for setbacks.
Head coach Rob Walter admitted losing his captain isn’t ideal. “It’s hugely disappointing for Tom to be missing the first Test, as captain but also as an integral part of the team,” Walter said. “It’s never great when you lose your captain, who’s a world-class opening batter and a great team man, but that said we’re going to work really hard to have him available for the second Test. We’ll continue to assess and see whether a replacement player is necessary, but at this stage we are hopeful that he’ll recover in time.”
Santner, 32, has 30 Tests behind him but this will be his first in charge in the format. His recent run as T20I stand-in in Harare, where New Zealand swept a tri-series unbeaten, convinced management he could handle the step up. “Mitch did a wonderful job with the T20 squad in this recent series,” Walter noted. “He was excellent from a strategy point of view, and he has a strong understanding of the game.” The coach added: “Whilst the format is different, he certainly has the respect of the players and will be supported by some highly experienced Test cricketers, so I trust that he’s going to do a great job.”
The touring group is otherwise unchanged. Devon Conway is expected to slide up to open, a role he’s filled before, while either Will Young or Glenn Phillips should slot into the vacant middle-order spot. Kyle Jamieson remains on a managed bowling load after back surgery but is available; selectors must balance his overs on Bulawayo’s abrasive surface, which traditionally flattens quickly.
New Zealand have not played a Test in Zimbabwe since 2016. That last visit finished 2-0 to the visitors, yet several of this squad—Conway, Phillips, Rachin Ravindra—have never played red-ball cricket in local conditions. The hosts, rebuilding under head coach Dave Houghton, see the series as a chance to blood new talent before their World Test Championship programme restarts later in the year.
Both camps will confirm XIs at the toss, though pitch preparation has been hampered by intermittent winter rain. Early forecasts suggest dry, high-twenties temperatures for most of the match, hinting at slow turn from days three and four—conditions that should suit Santner’s left-arm spin if reverse swing doesn’t arrive first.
For Latham, the immediate goal is simple: regain strength and range of motion. New Zealand’s medical staff insist he won’t be risked unless he can bat, catch and throw without restriction. Should recovery go to plan, he will re-take the reins in time for the final Test. Until then, the Blackcaps hand the keys to Santner and hope continuity off the back of a successful T20 trip keeps momentum intact.
