Persistent rain forced the abandonment of the first day's play of the first Test between New Zealand and England at Dunedin's University Oval on Wednesday.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum had won the toss and asked England to bat in overcast conditions.
Left arm spinner Bruce Martin will make his New Zealand debut at the age of 32 when play eventually starts after McCullum opted to go with three frontline pace bowlers.
Opening batsman Hamish Rutherford will also make his debut and join Peter Fulton at the top of the order.
Root will also play but is expected to bat at six. England earlier suffered a blow with off-spinner Graeme Swann ruled out of the Test series due to a lingering elbow injury that flared up in the tourists' match against the New Zealand XI in Queenstown last week.
Left arm spinner Monty Panesar replaced Swann in the line-up.
New Zealand team
PG Fulton, HD Rutherford, KS Williamson, LRPL Taylor, DG Brownlie, BB McCullum*, BJ Watling†, TG Southee, BP Martin, N Wagner, TA Boult
England team
AN Cook*, NRD Compton, IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, JE Root, MJ Prior†, SCJ Broad, ST Finn, JM Anderson, MS Panesar
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum had won the toss and asked England to bat in overcast conditions.
Left arm spinner Bruce Martin will make his New Zealand debut at the age of 32 when play eventually starts after McCullum opted to go with three frontline pace bowlers.
Opening batsman Hamish Rutherford will also make his debut and join Peter Fulton at the top of the order.
Root will also play but is expected to bat at six. England earlier suffered a blow with off-spinner Graeme Swann ruled out of the Test series due to a lingering elbow injury that flared up in the tourists' match against the New Zealand XI in Queenstown last week.
Left arm spinner Monty Panesar replaced Swann in the line-up.
New Zealand team
PG Fulton, HD Rutherford, KS Williamson, LRPL Taylor, DG Brownlie, BB McCullum*, BJ Watling†, TG Southee, BP Martin, N Wagner, TA Boult
England team
AN Cook*, NRD Compton, IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, JE Root, MJ Prior†, SCJ Broad, ST Finn, JM Anderson, MS Panesar
