Trent Boult will next feature only in IPL 2022. © AFP
Trent Boult will not feature in the second Test against South Africa at the Hagley Oval this week with New Zealand unwilling to risk an injury to the fast bowler who hasn't had sufficient training time to bear the workload of a Test match.

Boult missed New Zealand's crushing win in the first Test as he and his wife welcomed their third child. While the 32-year-old will train with the squad in the build-up to this week's Test, he'll next don the New Zealand colours only in June during the team's tour of England with New Zealand Cricket expected to allow IPL-bound players to miss the series against Netherlands.

"Trent Boult isn't in a position to be available for this Test match with his loads and where he's at, at the moment," Stead said on Monday (February 21). "Since [he was on paternity leave] as well he's missed out on a lot of opportunities to play cricket and bowl. We just felt the risk of him playing was far too great at the moment to do that to him."

Boult's absence in the first Test paved the way for Matt Henry's inclusion in the XI, an opportunity he grabbed sensationally by taking a seven-fer in the first innings and thereby setting the tone for New Zealand's dominant victory by an innings and 276 runs - only their fifth win against South Africa.

"He's always been a good bowler and sometimes you need that opportunity to strike and make the most of it and he certainly made the most of the opportunity that was in front of him," Stead said about Henry.

"He hits the top of off stump and was regularly in that area and he asked hard, hard questions of the batsmen and did it for long periods of time."

With conditions in Christchurch expected to be similar for the second Test, New Zealand have resisted the need to bring in a specialist spinner, retaining the same 15-member squad. Allrounder Rachin Ravindra remains available should New Zealand need a spin option as they chase a historic first series win over the Proteas but Ajaz Patel hasn't returned to Plunkett Shield just yet after picking up an injury.

"We considered a [frontline] spin option but didn't feel as though we needed it on this pitch, through history and the way it was looking after the last Test match," Stead said.

"South Africa aren't a bad side. Yes, we got on the right side of it this time, but we expect them to come back and come back strongly. We'll certainly be ready for that as well."