New Zealand on Saturday recalled 37-year-old seamer Neil Wagner for the two-Test series in Bangladesh, replacing the injured Matt Henry.

Henry's recovery from a hamstring injury suffered midway through the Black Caps' World Cup campaign has been slower than expected, with scans showing he won't be fit for the first Test starting in Sylhet on November 28.

Wagner gets an unexpected chance to add to his 63 Tests, having spent most of the last eight months recuperating from a torn hamstring and a herniated disc suffered during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch.

There was speculation Wagner had played his last international match when initially overlooked for the Bangladesh assignment, with five spinners named.

Wagner, who returned to domestic first class cricket action this week with Northern Districts, joins a three-man pace attack which includes captain Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson - himself missing from Test duty for 18 months because of back problems.