New Zealand has announced its squad for the second Test against the West Indies in Wellington, and the big news is the return of all-rounder Glenn Phillips. With many senior players injured, the team has named a fresh 14-member group for the match starting Wednesday.

New Zealand had to make several changes because some key players are out with injuries. This Test gives them a chance to try a new combination while welcoming Phillips back into the side.

Phillips has not played Test cricket since the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year. A groin injury kept him away from the format for almost a year. His last Test was in December against England in Hamilton. His comeback is important, especially with several players missing in both batting and bowling.

Wicketkeeper Tom Blundell is injured, so young keeper Mitch Hay is likely to make his Test debut. In the fast-bowling department, uncapped pacers Kristian Clarke and Michael Rae join Jacob Duffy. Clarke and Rae have done well in domestic cricket and now get their chance at the international level.

Despite the changes, senior players like Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, and Rachin Ravindra are available. The first Test ended in a draw after a strong batting show from the visitors.

New Zealand squad:

Tom Latham (c), Michael Bracewell, Kristian Clarke, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rae, Rachin Ravindra, Blair Tickner, Kane Williamson, Will Young

West Indies squad:

Roston Chase (c), Jomel Warrican (vc), Alick Athanaze, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Brandon King, Johann Layne, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Ojay Shields

ALSO READ: Know latest details of IPL 2026 Auction date, time, and number of registered players

New Zealand dominated the third day of the first Test against the West Indies, thanks to centuries from Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra. They started Day 3 at 32/0, and the opening pair of Latham and Devon Conway continued to bat confidently. The duo took the score close to 100, but Conway was dismissed for 37, ending the opening stand of 84 runs.

Kane Williamson could not make an impact and was dismissed for just nine runs. But Latham and Rachin took full control after that. They built a huge partnership, attacking the bowlers all over the ground, with Rachin hitting several boundaries on his way to a brilliant hundred.

By stumps, New Zealand had reached 385/3, riding on a dominant 279-run partnership between Rachin (176) and Latham (145). They had started the day 96 runs ahead, and by the end, they were completely in command of the match.

Also Read -Jacob Duffy’s Five-Wicket Masterclass Puts New Zealand in the Driver’s Seat in 1st Test Against West Indies

We finish the day 481 runs ahead at 417/4 after Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra lead the way with the bat.

Catch all the scores HERE - https://t.co/KwqLpZ7tPh#NZvWIN | 📸 @PhotosportNZ pic.twitter.com/ZgYbX3AqiF

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 4, 2025

Latham and Rachin’s Complete Dominance

Both Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra reached their centuries and kept scoring freely even after crossing the milestone. It turned into a tough and tiring day for the West Indies bowlers, who were hit all around the ground and struggled to take wickets.

The long partnership finally ended when Kemar Roach dismissed Latham for a superb 145. Their 279-run stand is now the second-highest partnership by a New Zealand pair against the West Indies in Test cricket.

Soon after, Rachin also fell for a brilliant 176, losing his wicket to Ojay Shields, who picked up his first scalp of the day. His dismissal came just three overs before stumps. Despite the two late wickets, New Zealand were clearly dominant and ended the day on 417/4, with Will Young unbeaten on 21 and Michael Bracewell on 6.

New Zealand head into Day 4 with a massive lead of 481 runs. It remains to be seen how long they will continue batting and what target they will set for the West Indies. By the time the second new ball was taken, New Zealand were already more than 400 runs ahead, with Rachin moving past Latham’s score. Roach broke the huge stand with an inswinger that brushed Latham’s inside edge, while Rachin later fell to a surprise yorker from Shields.

Even with the late breakthroughs, New Zealand added 184 runs in the final session, leaving West Indies facing a huge challenge.

Brief scores:

New Zealand 231 & 417/4 (Rachin Ravindra 176, Tom Latham 145; Kemar Roach 2-61) lead West Indies 167 by 481 runs.

With 11 victories out of 14 matches played, Somerset finished second in the South Group and qualified for the knockout stages of the competition. Skipper Lewis Gregory will be hoping that the side can deliver their best cricket in this must-win game.

On the other hand, With eight victories and six losses, Warwickshire finished at third position in the North Group and sealed their place in the playoffs of the tournament. They won their last match by 127 runs against Derbyshire, successfully defended the target of 234 runs. 

SOM vs WAR Match Details

Date: 6th September, 2025

Time: 11:00 PM IST

Venue: The Cooper Associates Country Ground, Taunton

Live Streaming: Fancode  

SOM vs WAR Weather Report

Clear weather 

Also Read: GAW-W vs TKR-W Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win WCPL 2025 Match 1?

Top Batters SOM vs WAR

• Will Smeed (SOM) - 512 runs in this tournament 

• Sam Hain (WAR) - 439 runs in this tournament 

• Tom Kohler-Cadmore (SOM) - 421 runs this tournament 

Top Bowler SOM vs WAR

• Riley Meredith (SOM) - 27 wickets in this tournament 

• Hasan Ali (WAR) - 25 wickets in this tournament 

• Danny Briggs (WAR) - 19 wickets in this tournament 

SOM vs WAR Recent Performance

SOM vs WAR Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If LAN bats first

• First Innings score prediction- SOM is expected to score 200-220 runs

• Result prediction- SOM will win the match by 20-25 Runs 

Scenario 2- If WAR bats first

• First Innings score prediction- WAR is expected to score 165-185 runs.

• Result prediction- SOM will win the match by 5 wickets 

SOM vs WAR Predicted Playing XI

Somerset (SOM) Playing XI 

Lewis Gregory (c), Tom Banton (wk), Will Smeed, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Abell, Sean Dickson, Ben Green, Lewis Goldsworthy, Craig Overton, Riley Meredith, Jake Ball.

Warwickshire (WAR) Playing XI

Alex Davies (c & wk), Tom Latham, Dan Mousley, Sam Hain, Ed Barnard, George Garton, Danny Briggs, Craig Miles, Robert Yates, Richard Gleeson, Jake Lintott.

SOM vs WAR Complete Squad

Somerset - 

Sam Dickson, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Will Smeed, Joe Langridge, Alex Vaughan, Freddie Hill, Rob Meredith, Michael Henry, Jack Ball, Saif Bashir, Kyle Aldridge, Jake Davey, Jack Leach, Josh Thompson, Tom Abell, Tom Lammonby, Amad Umeed, Alex Ogborne, Liam Gregory, Charlie Overton, Michael Pretorius, Luke Goldsworthy, Ben Green.

Warwickshire -

Alex Davies, Stephen Hain, Hamza Shaikh, David Briggs, Ollie Hannon-Dalby, Jamie Lintott, Chris Miles, Connor Rushworth, Charlie Simmons, M Ali, Ethan Barnard, Joe Bethell, Dan Mousley.

SOM vs WAR Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

Somerset to win

We predict that Somerset will win this T20 Blast 2025 match. Will Smeed, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Lewis Gregory will be key players to watch out for.

In his absence, Michael Bracewell continues with the captaincy after leading the team in the T20I series. In his stead, Henry Nicholls has been brought in, while Mitch Hay will assume the role of the new wicketkeeper. 

Also Read: Watch: Ishan Kishan and Umpire Anil Chaudhary making fun of Mohammad Rizwan

Latham was set to lead New Zealand with Qd the IPL Santner; however, he suffered an injury earlier this week that did not allow him to participate. Latham did get x-rays to assess the damage. After the first ODI in Napier, Will Young steps out of the squad to support his wife as they prepare to welcome their first child. He is replaced by rhythmic 23-year-old batter Rhys Mariu, who has a first-class career average of 61.73.

Michael Bracewell will lead New Zealand in the ODI series against Pakistan, with Tom Latham ruled out after suffering a fractured hand during training; Henry Nicholls has been called up.

More details: https://t.co/xOG4E0k833 #NZvPAK pic.twitter.com/6nDXzA42yH

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 27, 2025

Also Read: IPL 2025: Another security breach as fan falls at Riyan Parag’s feet during RR vs KKR

Head coach of New Zealand, Garry Stead, spoke of the changes to the squad, admitting they had several players unavailable, and it did indeed pose a challenge; however, it did create opportunities as well. He also honored two players coming into the squad for their performance and remained confident in Bracwell's leadership. “Disappointing as it is losing Tom is, Michael did an excellent job leading the T20I series, and I am pleased to see the shape Michael's leadership of the team is in,” Stead responded. He also extended best wishes to Young and his wife, Elise.

The squad had already included uncapped players Muhammad Abbas and Nick Kelly, while Kane Williamson opted out of the series. New Zealand will now rely on a mix of experience and fresh talent as they take on Pakistan.

The much-awaited ICC Champions Trophy 2025 started with the Group A match between the hosts and defending champions Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday (February 19). New Zealand started the tournament with a 60-run win. 

After Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan chose to field first, New Zealand scored 320/5 in 50 overs, and the hosts replied with 260 all out. Now, we are going through some key records of the tournament opener. 

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Key Match Stats of Pakistan vs New Zealand

Will Young and Tom Latham guide New Zealand to big total

• New Zealand batters Will Young and Tom Latham hit centuries. It was the fifth time in ICC Champions Trophy history with two centuries in an innings. 
• Tom Latham (118*) became the third wicketkeeper-batter to record a century in ICC Champions Trophy history. The other two names are Zimbabwean Andy Flower (145 vs India in 2002) and Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara (134* vs England in 2013).
• With his 118*, Tom Latham recorded the second highest individual score by a New Zealand batter in ICC Champions Trophy history. The record is 145* by Nathan Astle against the USA at The Oval in the 2004 edition.
• New Zealand scored 320/5 in 50 overs. It was their second highest total in ICC Champions Trophy history. Their record is 347/4 against the USA in the 2004 The Oval match. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s 320/5 was the seventh highest total in ICC Champions Trophy history.
• New Zealand’s 320/5 was the second highest total for a team against the hosts in the ICC Champions Trophy history. The record is 323/8 by England against the hosts South Africa at Centurion during the 2009 edition. 

See Also: New Zealand create ICC Champions Trophy history with twin centuries

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf had a forgetable outing

• Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf ended with the bowling figures of 10-0-83-2. It was the most runs conceded by a hosts’ bowler in main ICC ODI tournament history (ICC ODI World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy). Previously, English bowler Paul Allott (1/82 against Sri Lanka in the ICC Cricket World Cup 1983), New Zealand bowler Tim Southee (2/82 against West Indies in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015), and English bowler Jake Ball (1/82 against Bangladesh in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017) jointly held the record.
• With his 2 for 83 runs bowling figures, Haris Rauf recorded the second most expensive bowling figures by a Pakistan bowler (Wahab Riaz 8.4-0-87-0 vs India in 2017) and the joint fourth most expensive bowling figures among the overall bowlers in ICC Champions Trophy history. 

Pakistan very slow start

• With 22/2, Pakistan recorded their lowest-ever first 10 overs score in a home ODI.

Khushdil Shah broke Champions Trophy record against New Zealand

• Pakistan batter Khushdil Shah completed his 50 runs in 38 balls. It was the fastest half-century record against New Zealand in ICC Champions Trophy history. English legend Alastair Cook was the previous record holder with a 39-ball fifty during the 2013 edition. 

Pakistan suffered a record defeat

• Pakistan lost the match by 60 runs. It was the largest defeat (by runs) for the hosts in ICC Champions Trophy history. The previous record was South Africa losing by 55 runs against Sri Lanka during the 2009 edition.
• New Zealand have won all their four matches against Pakistan in ICC Champions Trophy history. 

After securing three consecutive limited-overs series wins, Charith Asalanka-led Sri Lankan side is brewing up with a lot of confidence. The battle-hardened outfit has slowly become a force to reckon with in recent times. The skipper Asalanka now has some serious ambitions for his side and expects them to be as good as they were prior to 2014. 

The cricket-driven island nation was in the midst of its golden run between 2007-2014. During this period, Sri Lanka was often considered a tough opposition, especially in major ICC events where they managed to make no fewer than five World Cup final appearances (three T20Is and two ODIs) before going on to win their maiden T20 World Cup title in 2014. 

But the wheels had fallen off following the retirement of legends like Jayawardene and Sangakkara in 2014-15 and as a result, the team slipped into a hole and started witnessing a downward trajectory, especially in the white-ball format. However, with some sensational series wins against India, New Zealand, and West Indies, Asalanka hopes to revive the legacy of the vintage Lankan squad and replicate some of the old magic that the team possessed back in the day.

What does Asalanka aspire to do for Sri Lankan cricket?

As a first step, the Lankan skipper aims to propel his side up in the ICC Rankings and cement their place in the top three. In T20I cricket, his side is dismally ranked at number eight while in ODI, the Lankan side is up at the sixth position but still faces an inevitable exclusion from the upcoming Champions Trophy. Being the skipper of the Lankan side in the ODI and T20I formats, Sri Lanka have to compete fiercely on all fronts and continuously strive for positive progress. 

"Our goal is to climb to the top three in the rankings. If we've consistently been winning, when we go to the ICC tournaments, we won't get exposed. We'd have played good teams and won, like we used to do in 2014 and before, when we used to get to the semi-finals easily. We are hoping to come back to that level. It's important to play really well from tour to tour."

Their upcoming challenge against the Black Caps

It is worth mentioning that Sri Lanka's unprecedented resurgence in international cricket has largely been at home, most notably on turning wickets. This outfit is yet to be tested in alien conditions outside the Indian subcontinent. To build upon their dominating run, the Sri Lankan team will need to win matches consistently in away conditions.

But on the back of some emphatic series wins at home in recent times, one can safely conclude that the Asalanka-led Sri Lanka side have taken a step in the right direction.  They will now be up against the Black Caps for a five-match white-ball series who are coming off on the back of a historic 3-0 Test series sweep against India in their own backyard. 

See also: BCCI mulling to take strict action against Gautam Gambhir following an annihilating series whitewash

An absolute horror show ensued at the Wakhede Stadium on Sunday as New Zealand did the unthinkable by thrashing India 3-0 at home. Coming fresh from a brutal 0-2 hammering against an above-average Lankan side, very few optimistic cricket fans expected New Zealand to even win a Test match let alone achieve a monumental clean sweep. 

But Latham and his men have conquered the Indian fortress and by doing so have proven to the world that India are not really invincible at home. The spin combo of Ajaz and Phillips wrapped up the proceedings on day three as the duo’s combined figures of 9-99 to drive New Zealand to a historic 3-0 whitewash. Ajaz in particular, had a devastating impact on the Indian batters and picked up 11 wickets in the match to dismantle India left, right, and center in both innings. 

A look at some of the long list of unwanted records for India

If you're an Indian fan then you would surely want to look away from the list of unwanted records that India have managed to register in this forgettable three-match Test series. 

• This is the first time India has been whitewashed in a three or more Test series at home.
• It is also their first-ever Test series whitewash since the year 2000. The last time a whitewash occurred was in a two-match Test series against South Africa
• New Zealand became the first-ever team to whitewash India 3-0 on Indian soil.
• This is India's first-ever Test series defeat at home since 2012. Prior to New Zealand, England were the last team who managed to achieve this remarkable feat.
• New Zealand managed to secure their first test win against India at home since the year 1988. 
• India's paltry 46-10 at Bengaluru is the lowest score ever scored by team India in a home Test.  

The shocking Test series defeat has further aggravated India's aspirations of securing a WTC Final spot. Following the 0-3 whitewash, India now has lost its spot at the top of the tree and slipped to the second position in the points table thus paving the way for Australia at the top who have an impressive PCT of 62.5. New Zealand too have made some rapid gains and have surged to the fourth position in the points table. The 2021 WTC Champions are very much in contention for a berth in the ongoing WTC Final. India face the arduous task of winning four out of five matches in the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy, which by no means will be a walk in the park for the wounded Indian side.

Ajaz Patel once again starred for New Zealand in the third and final Test of the three-match series by claiming superb figures of 5-103 to restrict India to 263. The 36-year-old got to the milestone by removing Ashwin on the last ball of the 58th over when he had him caught by Daryl Mitchell in the first slip. 

Ajaz has a special bond with the city of Mumbai. Known to be his birthplace, Ajaz had previously performed well at the Wankhede. The left-arm spinner recorded his career-best 10-wicket haul in the second match of the 2021 Test series against India where he claimed all 10 wickets to equal Anil Kumble & Jim Laker’s record. Unfortunately, New Zealand went on to lose that Test match by a whopping 372 runs.

A short summary of his performance in the ongoing third Test

This is Ajaz Patel’s sixth five-wicket haul in Test cricket. All six of them have come on Asian soil including two apiece in India & Sri Lanka and one each in Pakistan and Bangladesh. The crafty left-arm spinner enjoys bowling in the Indian subcontinent and thrives in these helpful conditions. India has been a happy hunting ground for him since as many as 26 out of 79 Test wickets in Asia have registered on Indian soil. Surprisingly, the Mumbai-born spinner has never picked up a wicket on his home turf in New Zealand. 

See Also: Pant and Gill hit fifties to drive India forward in Mumbai

Speaking of his performance in the third Test, Ajaz managed to pick up five wickets at the expense of 103 runs while going at a little over 4.5 RPO. Jaiswal, Siraj, Gill, Sarfaraz, and Ashwin were among his five victims. In his nearly 22 overs long spell, the 34-year-old bowled three maidens and got the ball to bite off the surface on regular occasions. His double-wicket over late in the day on day one swung the momentum of the game dramatically in favor of the visitors.  

At the time of writing, the game was nicely set up for the two sides as, despite Ajaz’s heroics with the ball, India were able to eke out a crucial lead of 28 runs.

New Zealand's inspiring 2-0 victory in the three-match Test series has put India's 24-year-long record in jeopardy. India are in real danger of conceding a rare 0-3 series defeat against the Black Caps. It is also the first time New Zealand have been able to manage a Test series win against India at home. With 0-2 down in the series, there is every possibility to consider that India may be on the brink of an embarrassing test series defeat.

India's last clean sweep in Test cricket at home came in the year 2000 against South Africa when they were hammered left, right, and center by a margin of 2-0. Since then, India has been rock solid at home and after 2012, the Indian soil turned out to be a graveyard for the visiting teams. But the shocking Test series defeat against New Zealand has through the Indian side under the bus. Latham and his men are on the verge of becoming the first team to whitewash India at home in a Test series after 24 long years.

India's woes ahead of the final NZ Test

New Zealand could be the first team after South Africa to hand a brutal test series whitewash to India since the year 2000. The big guns of India have failed to fire. Bumrah has failed to replicate the magic with the ball that he is so famously renowned for in both Tests. Moreover, Rohit and Virat's performance has been under the scanner and it has sure been a matter of concern ahead of the Australian tour. 

Washington Sundar's bowling performance in Pune offered a degree of relief, and it will be interesting to observe how the all-rounder performs in the final Test, should he be given the opportunity. The embarrassing Test series defeat at home has also put India's WTC qualification scenario in jeopardy. India will now have to win four out of their last six matches, five of them would be against Australia down under. What could have been a smooth ride is now turning out to be a huge nightmare for the Men in Blue. Rohit & Co. have their backs against the wall and will need to stage a comeback of sorts to end the series 1-2. 

New Zealand registered their first Test win on Indian soil in 36 years, beating India by eight wickets on the fifth and final day of the first Test match in Bengaluru. New Zealand, led by Tom Latham, outplayed India in all three departments, bowling out India for a mere 46 in the first innings and registering a win convincingly —their first since 1988.

Chasing a target of 107 runs on the final day, New Zealand successfully defended the fierce bowling effort from Jasprit Bumrah, who claimed 2 wickets for 29 runs in 8 overs. Bumrah bowled with proper line and length, troubling the New Zealand top order. Devon Conway also struggled to find his form, was eventually dismissed after a struggling start. However, it was Will Young who countered with a positive approach, steering New Zealand's chase in the right direction as well.

Will Young, remaining unbeaten on 48, and Rachin Ravindra, scoring an unbeaten 39, built a steady partnership, adding 75 runs for the third wicket and helping New Zealand reach the target in just 27.4 overs as well. Notably, New Zealand's last Test victory in India came way back in 1988, a milestone that was achieved well before most of the current squad was even born.

Team India, known for their dominance at home, were outclassed as New Zealand controlled the match from the beginning. Despite doing well in the second innings, Team India could not recover from their poor first-innings collapse, a mere total of 46 runs, which proved decisive in their loss as well.