Wicketkeeper Tom Blundell believes his standing up to the stumps in England -- a move that helped kill off the "Bazball" era -- was a case of New Zealand shelving their egos for the good of the team.

Tom Blundell hit New Zealand's first fifty of the series and Glenn Phillips posted an unbeaten 49 as the tourists fought back against England on an intriguing opening day of the second Test at the Oval on Wednesday.

New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel is in line to play his first Test in over a year after he was named in a 14-man squad for the third Test against West Indies, while wicketkeeper Tom Blundell returned from a hamstring tear.

Allen suffered a back injury while Milne injured his ankle while training ahead of the team's departure. Plans for their respective comebacks at this stage is unclear.