The Black Caps will blood a new opener in the first Test against England after naming the uncapped pair Hamish Rutherford and Tom Latham in their squad for Dunedin.
The duo will fight for the right to partner veteran Peter Fulton at the top of the order against an in-form England pace attack in the absence of the injured Martin Guptill.
New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said Fulton was assured of one of the opening slots after he returned home from South Africa without playing a Test due to a knee injury.
Left-hander Rutherford, who played in the Twenty20 and one-day internationals against England, and 20-year-old Latham will vie to start the Test starting on March 6.
“We picked Peter to tour South Africa and he would have played there if he hadn’t been injured.
“That leaves young Hamish and Tom to battle for the other opening spot. They’ve been in good form,” Hesson said.
Left-arm spinner Bruce Martin, 32, is also in line for his Test debut after being included in the 12-man squad.
Martin toured South Africa and did not play, but has ousted the underperforming Jeetan Patel from the squad.
Another fast bowler will be added to the squad after New Zealand XI’s four-day match against the tourists in Queenstown starting on Wednesday.
Mark Gillespie, who has been in wicket-taking form for Wellington, and left-armer Neil Wagner, who played in the second Test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth, are the leading contenders.
Former skipper Ross Taylor returns to the squad after missing the South African trip and a fit-again Tim Southee is also included.
Injury ruled paceman Mitchell McClenaghan (side), allrounder Daniel Vettori (Achilles) and batsman Guptill (thumb) out of the Test series while 38-year-old bowler Chris Martin has a hamstring complaint.
New Zealand lost the T20 series 2-1 and fell to a five-wicket defeat in the final one-dayer in Auckland on Saturday to lose that series by the same margin.
Captain Brendon McCullum was named in the Test squad despite picking up an abdominal strain in the defeat.
Squad: Brendon McCullum (capt), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Peter Fulton, Tom Latham, Bruce Martin, Hamish Rutherford, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, (one to be added).
