New Zealand could start Test series without Trent Boult

The same applies to Henry Nicholls who has been recovering from a calf injury. His rehabilitation has been delayed, however, after he tested positive for Covid

New Zealand could be without Henry Nicholls and Trent Boult for the start of the LV= Insurance Test series against England.

Boult, the third highest wicket-taker in New Zealand's Test history, was scheduled to land in England late on Monday having featured in the IPL final on Sunday. While New Zealand have not ruled out his inclusion in the Test starting on Thursday, a statement released by the team management suggested his involvement was "unlikely".

The same applies to Nicholls who has been recovering from a calf injury. His rehabilitation has been delayed, however, after he tested positive for Covid and was forced to undergo a period of hotel-room isolation.

As a result, New Zealand have announced that Michael Bracewell has been retained with the tour party as cover, with Jacob Duffy, Blair Tickner, Rachin Ravindra and Hamish Rutherford released from the initial 20 players squad. Darly Mitchell looks most likely to bat No.5 in the Test side if Nicholls is unavailable.

"At the moment we think it's unlikely that Henry will play," New Zealand's head coach, Gary Stead, said from Lord's on Monday. "Covid just put him back another week or so from where we were wanting but he is progressing really well. At the moment he is an unlikely starter.

"Trent arrives later today and we'll see how he scrubs up, but I've had conversations with him leading up into this. We've been through this before with different players. I guess it's not something that’s new to us and we'll deal with that tomorrow and work out what's best for us going forward with Trent Boult, in particular."

Stead dismissed any concern at his side's defeat in the warm-up match against a County Select XI and instead suggested that the absence of some well-known players – not just Boult and Nicholls, but also Ross Taylor and BJ Watling, who have retired in recent months – provided opportunities for others.

^{Gary Stead is in charge of the world Test champions (Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)}

"It's better we have a loss in a warm-up game than in a Test match," Stead said. "I don't see it as being terribly relevant to what is coming up.

"We are seeing the emergence of some new talent as well. I guess you're always looking for the right time to bring people up. We're quite a different team to even a year ago at the World Test Championship. There's no Ross Taylor, no BJ Watling. Those changes are felt within the team but that's an opportunity for someone else to come up and play the game."

Meanwhile, Stead admitted it felt "strange" to see former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum in England training kit, but suggested it was a good reflection on the New Zealand system. And while he backed McCullum to make an "instant impact" in his new role as head coach of England's Test team, he also urged for him to be shown some patience.

"It already is strange [seeing him in England kit]," Stead said. "I walked across the ground before and him and I walked together. I think he went into the right dressing room, he turned left and I turned right.

"I think it's always nice when you have Kiwi coaches that are being sought after around the world. It's not just Brendon, there's a number of IPL coaches who are born and played in and have coached in New Zealand in the past.

"I guess it means we're doing something right in New Zealand. I think for anyone who coaches or plays at this level, it's an absolute privilege and I'm sure Brendon will see that whether he's coaching for us or coaching England.

^{Brendon McCullum is a familiar face in England's dugout... (Stu Forster/Getty Images)}

"There's no doubt that Brendon and Mike [Hesson] were the catalysts for starting some change in New Zealand. Whilst they did finish some time ago now, they were the catalysts for getting things started and there are probably still things that we talk about as a team now, some of the things that we like to do and the way we like to be seen.

"Brendon will bring the heart-on-the-sleeve type play into that England squad. I've no doubt he'll have an instant impact. But I'm not sure his impact right now will be as much as you'll see in a year's time. So, yes, people do need to be patient.

"But I've not thought too much about Brendon and the impact he will have. We are focusing on the way we will play."

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Cam Fletcher (wk), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Will Young, Michael Bracewell (as cover for Nicholls)

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