The New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori says 19-year-old batsman Kane Williamson is unlikely to make his Test cricket debut in Hamilton, as the Black Caps prepare to gamble on a long tail against Australia's pace bowlers.
Off spinner Jeetan Patel will replace the injured pace bowler Darryl Tuffey while Mathew Sinclair is vying for the number three batting spot in place of the out-of-form Peter Ingram.
The injury to Tuffey earns fast bowler Tim Southee a reprieve, with Vettori warning him he needs to improve on his first Test performance and prove he's up to Test standard.
Vettori says while the Sedden Park pitch may appear to favour the seam bowlers, he's played enough there to know it will dry out and only get lower and slower as the game goes on.
Vettori will become only the second New Zealand player to reach the 100-Test milestone, behind former skipper Stephen Fleming who played 111 Tests.
Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh is the most capped Test player having played 168 Tests.