During the off-season in New Zealand, Ajaz also remodelled his run-up, which he feels has added more fizz to his bowling.

"I think the game's moving forward, and as a spinner you're always looking for ways to continue to challenge batsmen," Ajaz told NZC's in-house media team. "I think the [new] run-up allows things to happen a little bit quicker, from the action as well as off the surface. It's about creating less time for batters in terms of [their] decision-making. It's also still a work in progress. It's something that's still relatively new for me, so it's just finding that rhythm, and that balance of getting the pace right."

Phillips and legspinner Ish Sodhi round off the spin attack. The spinners will work with Saqlain Mushtaq, who has been hired as New Zealand's spin-bowling coach for this tour.

"We've selected a squad we think can compete and succeed in Bangladesh," New Zealand selector Sam Wells said. "With Ajaz, Ish, Mitch, Glenn and Rachin, we have a strong spin group that will offer good variety and options during the series.

"Mitch had a strong back half of the Plunket Shield campaign last summer and has made good strides in his red-ball bowling. "Rachin brings a left-arm orthodox option and has improved considerably over the past 18 months with the ball - and his performances with the bat at the World Cup speak for themselves."

The two-match Test series in Bangladesh marks the beginning of a new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for New Zealand. Luke Ronchi will be in charge of the squad in Bangladesh, taking over from Gary Stead, who will get a break following the ODI World Cup.

Saqlain, Daniel Flynn (batting coach) and Jacob Oram (fast-bowling coach) will assist Ronchi. Oram will fill in for Shane Jurgensen, who will end his ten-year association with New Zealand after the World Cup. NZC will look to appoint a full-time bowling coach after the T20 World Cup in June 2024.

While this will be Flynn's first coaching stint with New Zealand, Oram and Saqlain had previous worked with the team.

This will be New Zealand's first Test tour of Bangladesh in ten years. They were supposed to visit the country in 2020, but that was cancelled because of Covid-19.

Squad: Tim Southee (capt), Tom Blundell (wk), Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Kane Williamson, Will Young