The tour will begin with the ODI series from January 11, followed by the T20I leg starting from January 21. The T20Is will serve as New Zealand’s final opportunity to fine-tune combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup, which starts on February 7. The Kiwis are placed in Group D alongside South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada and the UAE.
No place for Kane Williamson in the ODI team
For the ODI series, regular captain Mitchell Santner has been rested, while all-rounder Michael Bracewell has taken on the leadership duties. Several senior players including Kane WilliamsonMatt Henry, Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra have also been rested or ruled out. Williamson’s absence is particularly notable, with New Zealand Cricket confirming the former captain is unavailable due to his SA20 commitments after being signed by Durban Super Giants as a replacement player.
It is striking that the team has been hit by a number of injuries. Nathan Smith (side), Blair Tickner (shoulder) and Mark Chapman (ankle) continue their respective rehabilitation programmes, while Ben Sears recovers following his spell in Melbourne. Despite these absences, names such as Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips and Will Young retain their places.
Meanwhile, Jayden Lennox has earned his first international call-up. The batsman has been rewarded for his consistent domestic performances, and head coach Rob Walter emphasized that Lennox had been on the management’s radar for some time, citing his strong New Zealand A experience and white ball form as reasons for his inclusion. However, the T20I squad will witness the return of Santner as captain of the team, which includes Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra.
The ODI series will be played in Vadodara (January 11), Rajkot (January 14) and Indore (January 18). The T20Is will follow in Nagpur (January 21), with subsequent matches on January 23, 25, 28 and 31 at various locations.
New Zealand to India series
ODI:
Michael Bracewell (c), Adi Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay (wk), Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rae, Will Young.
T20I:
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