Kane Williamson is set to miss yet another series, while New Zealand will also be without Glenn Phillips, Lockie Ferguson, and Finn Allen.
The experienced batter will once again remain on the sidelines, this time for the T20 series against England. Along with Williamson, several other key players are unavailable due to injuries — a tough situation for the Black Caps.
However, there is a bit of relief for the team. Regular captain Mitchell Santner has returned after recovering from injury, and Rachin Ravindra is also back after healing from a facial injury.
Since withdrawing from New Zealand Cricket’s central contract, Williamson has been selective about the series he plays. The last time he represented New Zealand was in March during the Champions Trophy. Since then, he’s been busy with county and franchise cricket. He also missed the T20 series against Australia earlier this month.
Although there were hopes of his return for the England series, Williamson won’t feature in the T20s. Coach Rob Walter revealed that the country’s most successful batsman is dealing with a minor “medical issue.” The 35-year-old could make his comeback in the upcoming ODI series against England.
After a disappointing loss to Australia with an injury-hit squad, New Zealand will once again field a weakened side against England. Despite Santner’s return, the team will still miss all-rounder Glenn Phillips, fast bowler Adam Milne, opener Finn Allen, and pacer Will O’Rourke. Pacer Ben Sears has also been ruled out with a hamstring injury and will need three to four weeks to recover.
Another big news is that Ish Sodhi — New Zealand’s most-capped T20 player (128 matches) and their second-highest wicket-taker (150) in the format — has not been included in the squad.
The three-match T20 series begins on Saturday at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, followed by the second game at the same venue on Monday. The final match will be held in Auckland three days later.
The ODI series will start on October 26, with the squad to be announced later.
New Zealand Squad
Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zachary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert.
