The 26-year-old Wellingtonian has jumped Scott Kuggeleijn in the pecking order and will play against Australia in the second Test, beginning at Hagley Oval on Friday.

Captain Tim Southee said the Lower Hutt product offered "real pace" and would likely be the quickest bowler of the series.

"We saw him clock 150 in a T20 earlier in the summer against Bangladesh," he said.

"He's got pace and he's got something about him ... excited to see what Ben's got."

The last spot in the XI is between Kuggeleijn and tweaker Mitchell Santner, who has been overlooked for the past two Tests.

On both of those occasions in Hamilton and Wellington, the Black Caps leadership admitted they'd made the wrong call.

"Hopefully we get it right this week," Southee said.

Sears' inexperience and the lack of allrounder pace options - as Australia enjoys with Mitch Marsh and Cam Green - would suggest Kuggeleijn is the frontrunner.

The 32-year-old was relatively toothless at the Basin Reserve, where Australia closed out a 172-run victory right on lunch on day four.

Given Hagley Oval is one of New Zealand's least spin-friendly wickets, picking Santner may be an overcorrection to those blunders.

Another mistake Southee was not keen to repeat was stepping into the fray over Neil Wagner's absence.

Local media peppered the captain with questions over his departure after former great Ross Taylor told ESPN it was "a forced retirement".

Both Wagner and coach Gary Stead deny that assessment, though the retirement decision came after Stead told Wagner he wouldn't be picked for the series against Australia.

Southee said Taylor was entitled to his opinion, but "I don't think anyone is forced to retire".

"He's been a massive part of us as a group and seemed at peace with his decision," he said.

While New Zealand cannot win back the Trans-Tasman Trophy, there's plenty on the line in the Garden City.

World Test Championship points are up for grabs, with New Zealand second and Australia third in the standings, behind only India.

Then there's the small matter of feting two modern greats of Kiwi cricket: Kane Williamson and Southee.

After playing age-level and domestic cricket together, the pair will share the occasion of their 100th Test.

Opposing skipper Pat Cummins said he was full of admiration for both players.

"It's a huge feat to not only keep your form for a dozen years or so that you need to get through to play 100 Test matches, but to keep your body in that kind of shape," he said.

"Both (are) stalwarts of New Zealand cricket."

TWIN TOWERS: 100 TESTS FOR NZ GREATS WILLIAMSON AND SOUTHEE

Kane Williamson and Tim Southee both celebrate their 100th Tests in Christchurch this week against Australia.

The pair have been linchpins of New Zealand's most successful Test era, as the Black Caps rose to be the ICC's No.1-ranked side and won the inaugural World Test Championship.

Defeating India in the 2021 final, Southee took five wickets and Williamson made a match-high 101 runs.

TIM SOUTHEE

Test captain: 2022-

378 wickets at 29.49 in 99 Tests

First NZ bowler to notch 100 Tests

KANE WILLIAMSON

Test captain: 2016-22

8675 runs at 55.25 in 99 Tests

Most Test runs for New Zealand, 25th most Test runs of all time

Australian Associated Press