• Gary Stead expresses confidence in Wagner ahead of second Test.
• Wagner has picked 247 wickets in 60 Tests.
• Stead says ‘I still believe Neil has a lot of cricket left in him’.

Head coach Gary Stead has expressed confidence in veteran left-arm bowler Neil Wagner performing well on the tour ahead of the second Test between New Zealand and Pakistan, which will begin on Monday in Karachi. Stead noted that Wagner still had plenty of cricket left in him.

Wagner, 36, managed just one wicket in both innings of the first Test match, which ended in a draw in Karachi. Wagner has taken 247 wickets in 60 Test matches, however in 2022, he only managed to take 18 wickets and was left out of New Zealand’s first two Test matches after they were defeated 3-0 by England in June 2022.

“There is no question that Neil is behind where he was when his test career began. He will, however, also break down obstacles for you. He has long since played a significant role in this bowling team.”

“He completes the other guys with his skill sets and slightly different stance due to his left arm. Don’t misunderstand me, but I still think Neil has a lot of cricket left in him ” Stead stated.

With only two days separating the first and second Tests, Stead predicted that New Zealand would alter their starting lineup. You constantly look to the side to determine the ideal combination of seamers you require. “Sometimes you enter these situations with little more than two people. Teams occasionally enter with just one and a part-time employee. They are the several possibilities you consider every time you travel to a different location with a different climate.”

Tom Latham and Devon Conway, the opening duo who put on a 183-run partnership in New Zealand‘s first innings, will be kept for the second Karachi Test, according to Stead. “We have been considering that for some time. Additionally, Devon and Tom played excellent top-order batting for us.”

“The team evaluates all of our choices. It’s terrible that the top order and how we shape the top order have caused us injuries. We thought Devon and Tom were the best course of action in this situation.”

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