Aotearoa's Blackcaps are back for Test cricket in Earth's greatest country with the first of two Tests against Bangladesh to spark up 2022. This is the first sniff of Blackcaps Test cricket in Aotearoa since they won the World Test Championship and let's not forget that Aotearoa is the only nation to make the final of WTC, ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup. That alone deserves celebratory vibes and much like Football Ferns taking part in Canada's Olympic celebrations a few months ago, Bangladesh are invited to Aotearoa's celebration of Blackcaps mahi.

As a hearty kiwi, watching the Football Ferns be a sideshow was kinda disgusting. As hearty kiwis, we all need to celebrate our Blackcaps in the truest Aotearoa fashion and that means a big haere mai to the Bangladesh bros. Lest we forget that the touring Bangladesh team endured the Christchurch terrorist attacks and this serves as a reminder to be super duper kiwis in any engagements with Bangladesh players and staff. Show them aroha and raise your mana in the process.

Since the start of 2015, Aotearoa are 20-3-5 in Tests at home. That's 28 Tests played with 20 wins, three losses and five draws. Bangladesh have played nine Tests in Aotearoa and lost all of them. Since the start of 2020, Bangladesh have played nine Tests and won two of them, with six losses and one draw. Those include five Tests in Bangladesh and thus, we have to be realistic about the challenge Bangladesh will pose in these two Tests.

That's an awkward mix for kiwis as we struggle to tap into our confidence. Those results are the reality though and another reality is that spinners don't really do a whole lot in Aotearoa Test cricket.

I love Ajaz Patel and he dropped some cricket insights a few years back with us. I hope to see Patel continue to develop, to build on his recent mahi and help Aotearoa be competitive overseas. That's how Aotearoa wins another World Test Championship and Patel will be instrumental in this WTC cycle. Like any player, Patel will want to play every Test. The reality is that the Blackcaps don't need a frontline spinner in Aotearoa.

Aotearoa are 20-3-5 since 2015 without any major contributions from spin bowlers. Ish Sodhi helped salvage one of the most epic Test draws in Aotearoa via his batting against England back in 2018. Mitchell Santner hit 126 in a Test win over England in 2019 and this time last summer, Santner didn't take any first innings wickets vs Pakistan before taking the last two second innings wickets (#9 and #11) but contributed to a Test win with exceptional fielding. In Aotearoa, spinners generally contribute to wins with the bat or as fielders.

NZ Warriors trauma is to such an extent, I throw in all in the cursed bucket. There is immense Blackcaps trauma floating around as well, where folks live in previous eras of Blackcaps cricket and any good performance warrants consistent selection. Prior to Kane Williamson's captaincy, Aotearoa didn't have enough Test calibre cricketers. Aotearoa will start 2022 without the bloke who just dismissed India by himself in his hometown and Aotearoa's greatest batsman ever - Williamson's not playing vs Bangladesh either.

The Blackcaps start as heavy favourites without Patel or Williamson. That's because we now have an abundance of lads competing for Test selection. Chill out, release the negative vibes and savour the aromas of Blackcaps abundance.

Buzzing about Patel misses the funkiest point in this Blackcaps Test squad; Rachin Ravindra has taken over from Mitchell Santner.

Aotearoa still want a spin option but they have to provide extra juice. Santner has a Test hundred and Ravindra is an opening batter in Wellington's Plunket Shield team. Santner has played the last two Bay Oval Tests and now Ravindra has earned selection for this Bay Oval Test. Not only are we at the start of a new WTC cycle, we appear to be at the start of the Ravindra spin/all-rounder cycle.

Without going deep into the Aotearoa spin mangroves, there are plenty of spin options to ensure spin depth in this WTC cycle. Patel, Ravindra and Santner are all tidy lefties with international experience. With those three offering a similar package and me being a fan of attacking leggies, Ish Sodhi is in my mixer too. Tidy spinners in their craft-bag and a fizzing leggy seems like a decent recipe to compete overseas.

Will Ravindra play? My weatherman swag and cricket observations point to pitches north of Wellington being the most spin-friendly in Aotearoa. We have seen this in late-summer Plunket Shield games in the North Island and the dry conditions give Bay Oval and Seddon Park a lower, slower wrinkle. To further make the point about spin bowling in Aotearoa, these grounds that have more of a spinny vibe are in alignment with the lack of spin productivity; spinners average 61.76 at Seddon Park and 46.72 at Bay Oval in the last 10 years.

Spinners do not average below 40 at any ground in Aotearoa during this period. Helping Ravindra is that Bay Oval is at the very least a bit slower than other decks and Santner has been used in previous Bay Oval Tests. The second Test is at Hagley Oval in Christchurch and the last Test played there featured five Blackcaps seamers (Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry and Daryl Mitchell). Ravindra's best chance to play is at Bay Oval, Mitchell's best chance is at Hagley.

Matt Henry returns to the Blackcaps squad as a low key addition. Henry last played in one of Aotearoa's many wins over England earlier this year with 6w in the Test and keen domestic observers will know that Henry has been on fire in the Plunket Shield and Super Smash this summer.

Plunket Shield: 2nd - 21w @ 17.76avg/2.48rpo.

Super Smash: 2nd - 10w @ 11.80avg/5.90rpo/12sr.

Henry might miss out for the first Test, just as Colin de Grandhomme has missed out despite getting the nod for the WTC final. Mitchell or Ravindra might miss out on 1st 11 cricket. Just as Patel has missed out and just like a batter will soon miss out depending on Williamson's return. Tom Blundell has opened the batting in Tests this year, as have Devon Conway and Will Young. Without Williamson or BJ Watling, this is a simple equation with Blundell taking up his now usual spot down the order while Conway opens and Young bats #3.

All of this goes beyond Patel's non-selection. In every pocket of Blackcaps cricket (different formats, spin, seam, all-rounders, batters) there is depth and legit international calibre options. Aotearoa is not England. Focus too hard on Patel and you will skip over how these ideas are present with the batters, seamers and all-rounders. Focus too hard on Patel's absence and you'll also miss Patel bowling in the Super Smash where his skills and development will be most evident.

Enjoy Test cricket Aotearoa. We have seen with England what happens when red-ball cricket is brushed aside for money making ideals. We have not seen the All Whites or Football Ferns play in Aotearoa any time recently and we haven't even seen Aotearoa Kiwis play a Test since 2019. Aotearoa's UFC fighters haven't fought in Aotearoa since early 2020. Lydia Ko and Steven Adams aren't present in Aotearoa for kiwis to connect to either. Enjoy these moments of connection to our favourite Aotearoa teams and athletes on home soil.

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Peace and love.