Kyle Jamieson also returns to the squad after back surgery in February in a pace attack which includes captain Tim Southee and Matt Henry, who has recovered from injury.
'You play according to the conditions that are in front of you'
Sunrisers Hyderabad's batting failed to live up to expectations yet again as they went down by eight wickets against Delhi Capitals in Dubai on Wednesday.
After England collapsed from 288 for five to 302 all out, New Zealand initially struggled in reply before Williamson and Taylor took the game away from the hosts with a clinical 206-run third-wicket stand.
India captain Virat Kohli lost his cool following India's seven-wicket defeat in the second Test in Christchurch on Monday after being asked about his animated celebration following Kane Williamson's dismissal on Day 2 of the second Test.
"Our plan before going inside was to utilise the first six overs and later on everyone can come and chip in. We will enjoy this moment, but at the same time we will focus on the final,"
Gujarat Titans' captain Hardik Pandya became the fastest Indian to smash 100 sixes in the Indian Premier League.
Kane Williamson, who scored a brilliant 113, was effusive in praise of his captain and fellow-centurion Brendon McCullum (143 not out) while admitting the pitch was conducive for batting after the morning session, on Day 1 of the first Test against India.
New Zealand have been touted as favourites for the WTC final beginning on Friday. However, Williamson doesn't see it that way.
At the start of the auction on Sunday, Punjab Kings had the highest funds at Rs 110.5 crore, which decreased to Rs 10.9 crore before Day 2 on Monday.
Images from the first One-Day International between New Zealand and India, in Auckland, on Friday.
Yashasvi Jaiswal wins ICC Player of Month Award
Josh Hazlewood took a five-wicket haul to skittle New Zealand for 162 on Day 1 of the second Test.
Cameron Green braved cramps to smash a career-best 89 not out and secure Australia's nervy two-wicket victory against New Zealand in the opening one-day international in Cairns on Tuesday.
'If he couldn't plan a successful strategy for a home series, how will he manage in a more challenging away series?', asks veteran cricket correspondent K R Nayar.
'Better team won in the conditions. Deserved winners...'
IMAGES from the T20 World Cup semi-final match played between New Zealand and Pakistan in Sydney on Wednesday.
Shoaib Akhtar lambasted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for bringing in 'average players'
The Kiwis were ruled two overs short of the target when time allowances were considered by match referee Andy Pycroft.
Williamson lauded his batting line-up for putting up a mammoth 200. They bowled out Australia for 111.
Captain Kane Williamson led from the front with a superb century before his bowlers held their nerves in a close finish to help New Zealand edge past India by six runs in the second One-Day International in New Delhi, on Thursday.
Tom Latham's first challenge as captain will be the three Tests in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai over the next three weeks, followed by hosting England for three matches at home.
'It was still touch and go when I went out there to bat; to get through that hard period and Kane's been a fantastic captain and ambassador for the game and our country.'
Fakhar Zaman fires as Pakistan beat New Zealand in rain-hit World Cup clash
There was poor communication and complete mismanagement between the stadium authority and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). Rain had affected the buildup to the Test, the first between the two nations, with New Zealand not being able to complete a single practice session properly.
We had to fight really hard to reverse momentum, says Kane Williamson
Ravi Bishnoi stole the show on Sunday night.
The 36-year-old Watson smashed 11 fours and eight sixes en route to this second hundred of the season as CSK chased down the target of 179 in 18.3 overs in Mumbai on Sunday.
With 10 points, KKR, however, are on the brink of elimination.
Tuesday's contest, intriguingly, will be a repeat of the semi-finals of the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in which a Virat Kohli-led India defeated a Kane Williamson-captained New Zealand in Kuala Lumpur.
Jasprit Bumrah's appointment as India's stand-in Test captain is a 'courageous decision' based on his 'tactical nous', and his leadership duel with England skipper Ben Stokes is providing a fascinating sidelight to an entertaining game in Birmingham, said the legendary Ian Chappell.
Kane Williamson hit a century and Luke Ronchi smashed 24 runs off one explosive over when the match was still in the balance to steer New Zealand to a four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the fourth One-Day International in Nelson on Tuesday.
Impressed by the good-natured New Zealand cricketers, India captain Virat Kohli says if his side were to share the number one ICC Test ranking with any team, it will be the Black Caps.
Kane Williamson has defended his decision to use Carlos Brathwaite at the death overs and praised his bowlers after a two-wicket defeat to Chennai Super Kings in the first qualifier of Indian Premier League.
India dominates ICC Test Rankings
Prolific India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, the leading run-scorer in the ongoing Test series against England, has been nominated for ICC Men's Player of the Month Award for February alongside New Zealand's Kane Williamson and Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka.
Anil Kumble expressed his disappointment with India's humiliating 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand, particularly criticising the team's top-order batting and the questionable pitch preparation.
With spin expected to have an impact on the outcome of the opening Test starting in Kanpur on Thursday, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is hoping that the lessons learnt during the World Twenty20 in India will help his side's spinners counter the hosts. New Zealand had reached the semi-finals of World T20 and Mitchel Santner (4/11 in 4 overs) had recorded the best figures for a Kiwi spinner in Twenty20s en route to their knock out stage appearance. Those figures had come for a winning cause against India in Nagpur and he was well supported by Ish Sodhi, who took three wickets in that match. These two spinners -- Santner and Sodhi -- will challenge the Indian batting line-up in this Test series.
A turner in Pune exposed the soft underbelly of Indian batters' technique against slow bowling but as per the current team's philosophy, it has decided to take the bull by its horns by asking for a turner where the ball might turn at right angles from first hour.
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