Who wanders out with Tom Latham to open the batting at Hagley Oval will be coach Rob Walter’s biggest head-scratcher ahead of the first test.



The Black Caps open the 2025-27 edition of the World Test Championship with a three-match series against the West Indies, starting in Christchurch from December 2-6. New Zealand completed an ODI series clean sweep of the West Indies in Hamilton on Saturday with Mark Chapman’s 64 and Matt Henry’s four-for powering them to a four-wicket win, chasing a modest 162.



Walter will unveil his first home test squad on Tuesday, having started in the job with a two-match series in Zimbabwe in late July-August.



His toughest decision is likely to be whether Will Young or Devon Conway opens alongside test captain Latham. Both should be in the 14-man squad, with the other set to be batting cover.



Young likely has the inside running, but his lack of runs, albeit in white ball cricket, will be a concern. Celebrating his 33rd birthday in Saturday’s ODI, Young fell to a one-handed screamer at short cover for three, continuing a lean run of form. In his last seven ODIs since March, he has amassed just 21 runs.



With Latham sitting out the Zimbabwe test series with a shoulder injury, Young and Conway opened in New Zealand’s comprehensive 2-0 triumph.





Conway, who averages 39.26 from 29 tests, blazed 88 in the first test against Zimbabwe, following up with 153 in the second match.



He was preferred over Young in the first two home tests against England last December, but struggled mightily, scoring 21 runs from four innings at 5.25 with a highest score of 11.



Conway missed the third test against England for the birth of his first child, when he probably would have been left out anyway. Young seized his opportunity in Hamilton, Tim Southee’s farewell test, scoring 42 and 60. Before that, Young was the player of the series in New Zealand’s history-making 3-0 away test triumph against India, piling on 244 runs in six innings.



With key paceman Will O’Rourke still sidelined with a back stress fracture, Canterbury’s Zak Foulkes and Otago seamer Jacob Duffy could be pushing for their first home test (and second match for each) alongside new ball leader Henry and fourth seamer Nathan Smith. Henry thrives in tests at his Hagley home, capturing 36 wickets at 23.91 from seven matches there with career-best match figures of 9-55 against South Africa in 2022.



With New Zealand almost certain to play four frontline seamers at Hagley, Mitchell Santner might be left to run the water in Christchurch. Glenn Phillips returned from a groin injury suffered in July in Otago’s opening round Plunket Shield win over Wellington, but the selectors might decide to give him more time in domestic cricket before he steps back internationally.



Santner should be included in the squad, but with spin unlikely to be much of a factor at Hagley could be more of an option for the final two tests in Wellington and Tauranga.



New Zealand has been a graveyard for the West Indies in test cricket this millennium, losing six straight matches (four by an innings margin) since a draw in Dunedin in 2013. Ranked eighth in the ICC world test rankings, the West Indies will be heavy underdogs against a New Zealand side who are so dominant at home.



The West Indies’ last test win in New Zealand came all the way back in February 1995 at the Basin Reserve, thrashing the home side by an innings and 322 runs to claim the series 1-0.



Captain Courtney Walsh caused chaos with the ball, taking career-best match figures of 13-55, while Jimmy Adams (151), the great Brian Lara (147) and Junior Murray (101 not out) all scored tons in their mammoth total of 660-5 declared.



Since then, the Black Caps have won 10 home tests against the West Indies with four draws.



Possible New Zealand first test XI: Tom Latham (capt), Will Young, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Nathan Smith, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy.



Black Caps v West Indies test series

First test: December 2-6 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch



Second test: December 10-14 at Basin Reserve, Wellington



Third test: December 18-22 at Bay Oval, Tauranga