NEW DELHI: New Zealand‘s new Test captain, Tom Latham, is preparing for his first tour as a full-time leader against India. He took over the role from Tim Southee, who stepped down last week. Latham, 32, has led the team in nine matches so far, but this will be his first series as a permanent captain.
Latham and a 15-member squad, including Southee, are heading to India for a three-match series starting October 16.Matches will be played in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai.
In a video released by New Zealand Cricket, Latham expressed his excitement about his new role. He said, “It’s obviously a special feeling to be named full-time captain. It’s a massive honor and a huge privilege. I think in the past, it’s always been a little bit of a caretaker role… But I guess, it’s a different situation where I would be able to put a little bit of my own spin on things and what that looks like.”Latham added, “As a Test team, in the past, we have done a huge amount of good things. We have been successful playing a brand of cricket that is true to us as Kiwis.”
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He also mentioned the blend of experienced players and new talent, saying, “It’s obviously a great group, a bunch of leaders, a bunch of older guys, and also some amazing talent coming through. So it’s certainly an exciting time and yeah, it will be a great challenge.”