Bangladesh suffer double injury blow

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim and opening batsman Imrul Kayes have been ruled out of the second Test against New Zealand in a massive double-blow for Bangladesh.

The pair, who have played 78 Tests between them, both suffered injuries in the seven-wicket loss in Wellington and will force the tourists to select a vastly less experienced side at Hagley Oval.

Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal will assume the captaincy from Mushfiqur, who has succumbed to a hairline fracture to his thumb.

Iqbal says the blow to the head which Mushfiqur suffered while batting in the second innings at the Basin Reserve was not a factor in his omission.

Kayes pulled a thigh muscle which has seriously restricted his mobility.

Both players are expected to be fit for Bangladesh's next Test, a one-off against India in Hyderabad starting on February 9. The greatest doubt surrounds wicketkeeper Mushfiqur, who has been given a 3-4 week recovery timeframe.

Uncapped Nurul Hasan, who has played 11 limited-overs internationals, is poised to inherit the 'keeping gloves.

Soumya Sarkar is favoured to be injected into the middle order for his fourth Test.

New Zealand have promised more short-pitched bowling to an "intimidated" Bangladesh side after strike bowler Trent Boult reckons the Black Caps rattled the tourists with their aggression in the first Test in Wellington.

Bangladesh, who had posted 8-595 declared in their first innings, succumbed for 160 in the second to gift wrap a seven-wicket New Zealand win.

Boult prefers to get his wickets through swing and stealth but admits conditions at the Basin Reserve called for something more raw.

"If there's no swing, we try to stay in areas that are most competitive or aggressive towards the opposition," he said.

"It's a method that we've been using for a while.

"We've used it successfully as well. I'm sure there will be some short-pitched bowling among the group."

Bumper specialist Neil Wagner was once again New Zealand's most successful bowler, claiming six wickets.

It could be argued his short-pitched approach set up scalps for others too, with some Bangladesh batsmen noticeably hovering on the back foot.

A short-ish ball from Tim Southee wasn't handled well by Mushfiqur, who ducked and was struck on the helmet, forcing him out of the Test and leaving his side a batsman short.

Boult agreed the approach unsettled the visitors, who are more comfortable in spin-friendly conditions.

"I think it did. It's always intimidating coming out facing a bit of a barrage of short-pitched bowling.

"You're definitely not throwing it down there with the intention of hurting anyone."

Hagley Oval is expected to aid the seamers in the first session or two on Friday.

Colin de Grandhomme's medium pacers destroyed Pakistan's first innings at the ground in November, taking 6-41 on debut.

Wagner came into his own when conditions flattened out later in the Test.

Boult expects a similar pattern to play out as his side chase a 2-0 series win but they'll be wary of not over-doing the bouncers.

Strong winds and rain which has pounded Christchurch for 24 hours was forecast to clear ahead of the scheduled start time.