Why New Zealand team is wearing black arm bands on day 1 of the 2nd Test of NZ vs SL

NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka chose to bat first after winning the toss in the second cricket Test against New Zealand on Thursday. They are aiming for their first series victory over New Zealand in 15 years.
In the first Test held in Galle, Sri Lanka secured a 63-run win. Coming into the second Test, the team made two changes to their lineup. All-rounder Milan Rathnayake replaced fast bowler Lahiru Kumara, while Nishan Peiris took the place of Ramesh Mendis.Peiris will be making his Test debut.
Rathnayake's inclusion aims to bolster the team's all-round capabilities.
On the first day of the second Test match in Galle, New Zealand players are wearing black armbands to honour the late Ian Taylor.
Taylor was a former manager of the Blackcaps, a director at New Zealand Cricket (NZC), and the Chair of Cricket Wellington. This gesture reflects the team's respect and remembrance for his significant contributions to New Zealand cricket.

New Zealand aims to extend their unbeaten streak for the last six Test series against Sri Lanka by keeping the same lineup from the first Test.
Since their last series victory against New Zealand in 2009, Sri Lanka has lost four and drawn two Test series against the team. In the current context, New Zealand’s defeat in the first Test has caused them to slip from third to fourth in the World Test Championship (WTC) rankings.
A win in the second Test would enable New Zealand to reclaim their third spot in the WTC rankings.
Sri Lanka:Dhananjaya de Silva (captain), Kusal Mendis, Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Nishan Peiris, Prabath Jayasuriya, Milan Rathnayake.
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Wiliamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee (captain), Ajaz Patel, Will O’Rourke.
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