“[The depth] certainly has been tested,” head coach Rob Walter said. “I think at one stage we were six or seven of our seamers down, which is a great testament to the depth, to be honest. More importantly to the individuals that have stepped in, I think often we don’t see the work that the guys not playing are doing, trying to get ready and wait for the opportunity.
“In this instance, Zak has been one of those guys. Ticks has been one of those guys, being in and being out for over two years and working away at his craft to hopefully get another opportunity, which he gets and then he just sort of rises to it and does it with a smile on his face.
“So we pride ourselves on our domestic competitions to be fair and the strength of them and the way that players can come from there and into the international circuit, whilst we understand it is obviously of a higher level that they can come in and the group pulls them in and allows them to just be themselves.
“The depth is there. We’re certainly not resting on it because with international cricket, as we’ve seen, we’re getting tested with a lot of players in and out, injuries sneaking in here and there. So it’s certainly something we’re paying attention to.”
Henry (calf/workload management), Ferguson (hamstring), Milne (ankle) and Sears (hamstring) remain sidelined for the T20Is against West Indies alongside Finn Allen (foot) and Glenn Phillips (groin).
“Kyle’s been back bowling this week and is tracking nicely for this series,” Walter said. “Nathan’s made an impressive start to his international career in the Test and ODI formats and we back him to do the job if he gets his T20 chance in this series.
“Matt has played every game [for New Zealand] since the tour to Zimbabwe in July – so it’s the right moment for him to have a short break and the fact he will also get some time to rehab his calf is another upside.”
“It means a hell of a lot to play for New Zealand, so for me, any time I get to be in those moments and help us win those little moments, which create big ones, it’s good fun,” Mitchell, who was named Player of the Series, said. “It’s really pleasing to win a series and to win it in the way we have, and hopefully it creates momentum heading into the rest of the summer.”
Will Young, who only made six runs in three innings, will be looking over his shoulder and Tom Latham had a lean series with 36 runs too.
New Zealand play a further three-match ODI series against West Indies later this month following the five T20Is, which begin in Auckland on November 5.
New Zealand T20I squad vs West Indies
Mitchell Santner (capt), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert (wk), Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
