This Week in Cricket #95 - Black Caps Test squad, Ben Stokes' clear direction and Devon Conway has clocked the IPL

The Top Order Cricket Podcast

This week on the show we discuss the Black Caps' Test squad for the upcoming UK tour, which landed with very little fanfare and a lot of familiar names. At first glance, the expected lineup for the first Test starting on 2 June picks itself, but should Matt Henry be in the conversation? Can they find room for Ajaz Patel? And will Trent Boult and Daryl Mitchell still be at the IPL? (Since we recorded the episode, Henry Nicholls has had scans on a calf injury suffered in training, so watch out for news on that.)

As the conversation turns to England, we examine recent comments made by Ben Stokes - most notably that he plans to bat at 6 and Joe Root will bat at 4 - as he starts to make his mark on the Test side.

We finish the show with a quick summary of the IPL as it draws closer to the playoffs. Lippy gets excited about Devon Conway's three 50s on the bounce, but it looks like it will be too late for CSK, with Gujarat, Lucknow, Rajasthan and RCB firming as top 4 favourites.

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