With less than a month until the Blackcaps get a shot at redemption against England, the coming summer looms as an important one for the team and - in particular - Lockie Ferguson
One of New Zealand's best at the Cricket World Cup, the speedster's now targeting a test debut.
Ferguson has made no secret of his desire to don the whites, but with a battered body after a brutal tournament and a recovering broken thumb, he's taking his test cricket dream slowly.
"Even to put your hand up and be included in that thought process is a great honour," Fergsuon told Newshub. "But getting my fitness back to 100 percent is first."
And he's realistic about his test ambitions in a squad that is now well established.
"The test team is a question I've been asked a lot, but the test side is a tough side to make. They're No.2 in the world and the bowling attack, in my opinion, is the best going around."
Ferguson admits his form with the ball at the World Cup, where he took 21 wickets, has done wonders for his confidence.
And while coach Gary Stead believes he has every chance of cracking the test side, he's taking a 'horses for courses' approach to Ferguson's potential call up.
"We've got a really good pool of pace bowlers, in particular," said Stead. "And for us, it's about balancing up the success we've had as a test unit and the players we've had.
"He hasn't bowled for some time now. We have to see where he's at with that and then balance up what he needs further down the track, if he's a genuine contender for test cricket."
If Ferguson can get his body right and continue his World Cup heroics, it's hard to see how he couldn't be.
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Newshub.
