Jason Pine: Sportstalk host on Tom Blundell returning to the Black Caps for third West Indies test

Canterbury wicket-keeper Mitch Hall has been pushed out for a fit-again Tom Blundell in the Black Caps squad for the third test against the West Indies starting Thursday in Mount Maunganui.

Spinner Ajaz Patel returns to the side, with Blair Tickner sidelined.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sport with tab in play bet with real time odds
and stats are eighteen bet.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Responsibly Pining's with us this afternoon.

Speaker 3 (00:07):
Hey honey, how are you, Ryan?

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Hi made? I'm good. Thanks.

Speaker 3 (00:09):
So Tom Blundell returns for the black Caps. Is this
the right call you, reckon?

Speaker 2 (00:13):
I think so, yes. I think incumbency is quite a
strong motivator here as far as the black Caps are concerned.
Tom Blundle's been the wicket keeper since twenty twenty one.
He wasn't dropped for the second Test against the Western
DC had an injury and they've often been of the
view that if you're injured and you come back in
and you were part of the team, you come back
into the team. Mitch Hay had a very good debut

(00:34):
with the basin and we'll play undoubtedly a lot of
Test cricket for New Zealand. But I think having Tom
Blundell come back in for the third Test at the
Mount starting later in the week is the right call.
Not everybody agrees with it, Ryan, but that's the beauty.

Speaker 3 (00:46):
Of it all. Yeah, no, exactly. That keeps it interesting. Hey,
is Gean Carlo Italiano? How's he doing? I mean, fourth
loss in five games now with the Phoenix.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Yeah, under pressure has to be under pressure gian Calo
Italiano and not if you zoom out of it I've
had They've had just five wins in their last twenty
nine matches. Now in any league anywhere in the world.
That is the kind of kind of stat that's going
to put pressure on a head coach. Will they make
a move? I think they'll probably give him at least
this weekend against the Mariners to see if he can

(01:16):
turn things around. I just cannot see though, if they
were to lose again this coming Sunday at home to
another team nearer the bottom of the table than the top,
that he would be able to survive. I think he's
probably drinking at the Last Chance saloon.

Speaker 3 (01:29):
Hey McCullum very quickly on me. Is he could he
potentially lose his job if they know if they it
all goes tits up over in Australia because this contract
apparently is through to twenty twenty seven. But do you
reckon they could get rid of em Elia.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
I guess they could if they wanted to, if they
decide that really he and Ben Stokes, because they come
as a bit of a pair, are not the right
men to lead England for they could. I mean, contracts
are always you can always extricate yourself from them, card
you as the person with the contract or the person
giving out the contract. I think they'd have to lose
five nil and have no sign of re any improvement
at all for him to be on the chopping blog

(02:02):
there all.

Speaker 3 (02:02):
Right, I appreciate that, Piney, thank you, Jason Pines Sports
talk hosts.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
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