Masakadza ruled out of second Test

Even though most of the Zimbabwe squad members have recovered from the illnesses and injuries that have plagued them over the past week, Hamilton Masakadza, their most experienced batsman, has picked up a back injury and was ruled out of the second Test. Sean Williams, though still coughing, was feeling much better and Tino Mawoyo made significant progress from a bruised thumb injury he sustained before the first Test against New Zealand.

Masakadza, Zimbabwe's most capped player by a distance with 30 Test appearances, will not be able to take his spot at No.3. Instead, it is likely Sikandar Raza or Craig Ervine will be promoted with Prince Masvaure moving into the middle order and Peter Moor likely to debut to bolster the batting line-up.

This will be the first Test Masakadza will sit out since Zimbabwe's Test comeback five years ago, in 2011 against Bangladesh. In that time, they have played 15 Tests and Masakadza has scored three centuries, including a career-best 158. Masakadza scored just 15 and 4 in the first Test and was so disappointed by his first-innings dismissal - a return catch to spinner Mitchell Santner - he said it weighed on him for the rest of the match.