Captain Daniel Vettori has opted to go with spinner Jeetan Patel even though the recent rain in meant the Galle pitch favouring the seamers.
Patel has is keen to step up saying, “this is another opportunity to prove to those back home and myself that I am a Test bowler and hopefully I can take some of the form I’ve had in the last few warm up games into the Test match.”
Daryl Tuffey, Craig Cumming and Grant Elliott are the players left out of the starting eleven.
BLACKCAPS:
Daniel Vettori - Captain
Martin Guptill
Tim McIntosh
Daniel Flynn
Ross Taylor
Jesse Ryder
Brendon McCullum
Jacob Oram
Jeetan Patel
Iain O’Brien
Chris Martin
