SHARJAH: New Zealand sprang a surprise by recalling left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori in their bid to level the series against Pakistan in the third and final Test starting in Sharjah on Wednesday.
Trailing 1-0, New Zealand shocked everyone by adding Vettori in the squad for his first Test in 28 months with skipper Brendon McCullum confirming the left-armer will replace Jimmy Neesham in the eleven.
"We are really excited about it. He is our most capped player with Stephen Fleming; it is a tremendous achievement that makes all of us proud. It is a one-off Test situation for him as he was over here preparing for the one-dayers," said McCullum after the team's practice sessionon Tuesday.
The inclusion is a measure of Black Caps’ desperation to level the series after losing the first Test in Abu Dhabi by a heavy margin and drawing the second one in Dubai to keep the rubber alive.
McCullum confimred they will go in with three spinners, retaining Ish Sodhi and Mark Craig and inserting Vettori.
"We think using three spinners and Dan being the third one, the work load might not be overly excessive. With the World Cup around the corner we don’t want to break him in a one-off Test match situation and we think we can certainly manage through that with the other two spinners. So James Neesham makes way for Vettori or otherwise it will be unchanged."
But New Zealand will be going against the history as they lost five of the four Test they played with three spinners in the last 30 years, drawing the remaining one.
The 35-year-old Vettori, who has 360 wickets, played the last of his 112 Tests (one Test for ICC World XI and the rest for New Zealand) in July 2012 and has since been sidelined due to a back injury.
Vettori will overtake Stephen Fleming who also played 111 Tests for New Zealand.
Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul Haq conceded Vettori's inclusion reflected New Zealand's objective is to finish things to even keel.
"I think they will do every bit to level the series," said Misbah.
"Every team aspires to win, especially when they are 1-0 down and the challenge is to draw the series. Vettori is an experienced campaigner but we have played him before so we know how he bowls,"
Besides Vettori, the toss will also be a key factor as the team winning it more or less dictated terms in the first two Tests.
Pakistan piled up 566-3 after winning the toss and then spun out New Zealand twice for a comprehensive win.
Despite the odds, New Zealand staged an impressive comeback in the second Test in Dubai, winning the toss and dictating terms before Pakistan, set a target of 261 on the final day, salvaged a draw to set up an intriguing finale.
The spin duo of left-armer Zulfiqar Babar (13 wickets in two Tests) and leggie Yasir Shah (11) remain Pakistan’s trump card.
But McCullum said his team can draw confidence from an improved performance in the second Test. "We would have loved to have won it," said McCullum.
"But you have to look at what we have done in Dubai, bank at the confidence and head to Sharjah knowing that we have an opportunity to win away from home if we pick up a little bit."
Pakistan will bring in opener Mohammad Hafeez who missed the second Test due to a hamstring injury.
His bowling action was reported as suspect after the first Test but he can bowl in Sharjah, pending a report of a bio-mechanical analysis performed in Englandon Monday.
He returned to Sharjah early Tuesday and will replace Taufeeq Umar while paceman Mohammad Talha is likely to come in for Eshan Adil who suffered a side strain.
Misbah termed the pitch as flat.
"At the moment looking at the pitch it looks like hard work for the bowlers. Obviously similar conditions like we had in the last Test we played here and we had a memorable chase that time so obviously look to replicate that."
Misbah wants Pakistan to improve their fielding in Sharjah after dropping a number of catches in Dubai.
"I am pretty pleased with the bowling and batting," said the Pakistan captain.
"In the field we need to take our chances because on these sorts of wickets if you miss chances it could be really difficult for the bowlers.
The two teams also play two Twenty20 matches and five one-day internationals after the Tests.
Teams (from):
Pakistan: Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Shan Masood, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Talha, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Ehsan Adil, Sarfraz Ahmed, Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah.
New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (capt), Hamish Rutherford, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson, BJ Watling, Luke Ronchi, Daniel Vettori, Mark Craig, Tim Southee, Doug Bracewell, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi.
Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS) and Paul Reiffel (AUS)
Third umpire: Ranmore Martinesz (SRI)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
