Times are tough for the Blackcaps Test team and I've found myself struggling to comprehend what the plan is with this team. They clearly aren't good enough to kick it with the strongest nations on a consistent basis and following the retirement of Brendon McCullum, the Blackcaps seem to be in a state of flux as they aren't rebuilding nor are they going all-in on winning right now which would see a handful of seasoned domestic performers selected to do a job for their country. 

I always have a bias towards youth and this is amplified in the specific context of this Blackcaps team. While I could dish up a few reasons as to why the Blackcaps should consider (thus forcing a couple of these lads to reconsider their eligibility/retirement) blokes like Michael Papps, Dean Brownlie, Jesse Ryder, Luke Woodcock, Grant Elliott Daniel Flynn, Peter Fulton, Andrew Ellis, Todd Astle, James Franklin and Hamish Marshall, that ship has sailed with these lads unable to lock down a consistent international spot. That's all a bit counter-productive, hence why Mike Hesson hasn't gone down that route but he hasn't gone too far down the alternative route either.

That alternative route is where my bias kicks in as I wouldn't mind seeing a group of kiwi cricketers selected to take the Blackcaps forward, hunting for the No.1 Test spot. This is tricky to pull off and again, is why Hesson hasn't done it as the likes of Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Luke Ronchi and BJ Watling are doing enough (or just enough) to maintain selection. Here's my Slightly Different Blackcaps Test side, ponder it...

Jeet Raval: Already in the mix, Raval has stacked up runs over 67 First-Class games with an average of 43.85, 14 centuries and 22 half-centuries. Raval's FC average is a shade higher than Latham's (41.08) and Raval has almost hit twice as many centuries (14 vs 8) than Latham, despite playing six less games than Latham. Opening is a bloody difficult job and while Raval has done enough to demand selection, he'd need time to settle into his job and suss out how his technique and plans can be implemented at the Test level. Leaving him on the fringes feels like we are wasting valuable development time and Raval would need to be given at least 10 Test matches before we can genuinely gauge his Test future.

Tom Latham: On his way to joining Alistair Cook in the Test Cricket Opener's Lounge, Latham is one of the few kiwi batsmen who has showcased the know-how to deal with the world's best bowlers in a variety of conditions.

Kane Williamson: Kaptain Kane, he's our leader.

Henry Nicholls: In 42 FC games, Nicholls has an average of 36.52 with four centuries and 15 half-centuries which isn't quite as good as his work in the coloured clothing. Nicholls' non-selection in India was incredibly frustrating because he missed out on valuable experience in hostile conditions which could be viewed as another example of a lack of foresight from Blackcaps management, especially on the back of 36 and 76 against South Africa when they steam-rolled their way through the Blackcaps batting line up. Already showing signs that he's got the tools to score runs at Test level, Nicholls has got to build on his defensive game and this can only be done with consistent cricket at the highest level, against the world's best bowlers.

Will Young: Leading the pack of Aotearoa's up-and-coming phenoms with the bat, Young has a FC average of 41.72 in 39 games and has already piled up 20 half-centuries to go with two centuries. Like Raval, there isn't a whole lot more Young can do to show us and the Blackcaps selection jokers that he's capable of making the jump up to Test cricket (maybe converting half-centuries to centuries) and as a batsman full of potential, Young needs to be given a crack. More importantly, Young needs to be given a crack with the knowledge that he's got some time to acquaint himself with Test cricket and that along with this Blackcaps team, he will be given the opportunity to work through failures, emerging on the other side as a better batsman. Don't sleep on Young averaging 41.72 in FC cricket and 32 in 50-over cricket, that's a great sign for his Test credentials.

Corey Anderson: The battle between Anderson and Jimmy Neesham is polarizing, especially when comparing their stats in Test matches and FC cricket. Anderson has a FC batting average of 35.95 (3 hundys, 11 halves) vs Neesham's 34.37 (5, 10) and their Test batting stats are also fairly similar with Anderson averaging 32.52 (1, 4) vs Neesham's 37.94 (2, 4). Both average over 40 with the ball in Test cricket (41.18 vs 46) while Neesham has the better FC bowling average (42.34 vs 34.14)

The ugly truth here is that neither can really demand consistent selection in Test cricket, especially as they are picked to provide a bowling option yet they both average over 40 with the ball in Test cricket. I was super tempted to go knee-deep in my bias towards youngsters and select another batsman from the group of Mark Chapman, Rob O'Donnell, Glenn Phillips and Ken McClure but I'll roll with Anderson; I just like his left-arm-heavy-ball-swing. 

Mitchell Santner: I've got Santner ahead of both Anderson and Neesham in the all-rounder rankings, mainly thanks to him being our No.1 spinner. Santner has an average of 38.48 with the ball in Test cricket, however he's found a way to tie his end up conceding just 2.94rpo which is handy when you've got four seamers and that he is better with the ball in Test cricket than FC cricket is a great sign. Santner hasn't done a whole lot with the bat just yet, hence he's down at No.7 but he's got strokes and should get better with more chances.

Tim Seifert: We all love BJ Watling, he's a fantastic kiwi (...yeah, kiwi) battler and has done a nice job in plugging the lower order thanks to his opening skills. I want to move on though and bring in a youngster to settle into this role, luckily Tim Seifert is there ready to go after standing in for Watling with Northern Districts when Watling's on Blackcaps duty. Seifert is just 21-years-old and has played 11 FC games, with an average of 31.38 (a century, four 50's), while also scoring at a decent 54.11sr. Seifert could come in and do some counter-punching down the order which would be exciting, just get him in there asap to allow him time to figure things out.

Ah, the seamers. I've gone with Matt Henry, Trent Boult and Tim Southee (yup, in that order too) which is fairly stock-standard. Southee and Boult are still highly threatening in favourable conditions, perhaps too good as the ball tends to fly past the outside edge after moving considerably and Henry offers a slight point of difference as he looks to hit the seam; hitting the deck rather than bowling along it for some swing.

We all love Neil Wagner, I just can't see him holding down a Blackcaps Test spot in a few years time so I had to go against Wag-nut here. Doug Bracewell has been unable to maintain a consistent Test bowling spot and just lacks a bit of oomph while Adam Milne and Mitchell McClenaghan are seemingly always injured, so I'm happy to ride out with Southee and Boult.

I can only do so however because the young wave of seamers hasn't quite done enough to put themselves in the big ol' mixer just yet. Don't get me wrong, this wave of young seamers has me fairly excited and is part of the reason (along with young batsmen pushing their case forward) why I'm banking on this summer being fantastic with regards to domestic cricket, they just aren't quite there right now. I'm also waiting on someone from this group (Ben Wheeler, Ed Nuttall, Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy, Lachie Ferguson, Scott Kuggeleijn, Navin Patel) to really emerge as the next contender to enter The Stable.