New Zealand have suffered a double injury blow ahead of their five-match one-day international series against India, with key batters Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman ruled out as they continue to recover from injuries sustained in September. The pair, who also missed the T20 international leg of the tour, which New Zealand lost 3-2, have failed to recover in time for the ODI series starting at Eden Park in Auckland on Wednesday, November 4.
New Zealand Cricket has named replacements and reshuffled the squad for the series.
Chapman suffered an injury to his left hamstring during his stint at the European T20 Premier League in September. A recent MRI scan showed that the hamstring requires another two weeks of rehabilitation before he can return to full fitness. Ravindra, meanwhile, dislocated his right shoulder in a freak incident during a promotional shoot in September, and his shoulder has not yet recovered to a position where he can field comfortably in white-ball cricket.
With a Test series against India also scheduled later this month, the team management has decided against taking any undue risks with either player.
"Everyone knows what an asset Mark and Rachin are to this side, so it's a shame they have to miss this series," New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said. "I caught up with Mark last week and although he's disappointed he's working hard to get back on the field. With Rachin, his shoulder hasn't quite recovered to a position where he could field comfortably in white-ball cricket, so with the Test series later this month we don't want to take any undue risks."
The absence of the two left-handers is a significant setback for the Black Caps. Ravindra, one of the most exciting young batters in world cricket, has become a mainstay of New Zealand's white-ball sides with his aggressive strokeplay and useful left-arm spin. Chapman, an experienced middle-order batter, brings power and versatility to the line-up.
Both were expected to play central roles in the ODI series against an Indian side that is formidable at home and has already shown its strength by winning the T20 series 3-2.
New Zealand have moved quickly to fill the gaps. Wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert, who had originally been selected for the fourth and fifth ODIs only, will now be in the squad for the full series. Left-handed batter Henry Nicholls has been brought in for the first three ODIs, while all-rounder Dean Foxcroft will join the squad for the last two games.
Pacer Matt Fisher, who was initially named for the last two games alone, will now remain with the squad for the full series as an additional bowling option.
The updated squad for the first three ODIs is: Mitchell Santner (captain), Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, Nathan Smith, Will Young and Blair Tickner.
For the fourth and fifth ODIs, the squad is: Mitchell Santner (captain), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Kristian Clarke, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Dean Foxcroft, Lockie Ferguson, Mitch Hay (wicketkeeper), Nick Kelly, Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper), Blair Tickner and Will Young.
There is also uncertainty over pacer Matt Henry, who was sidelined from the last three T20 internationals with a low-grade tear in his right quadricep. Henry was due to assemble with the squad in Auckland on Monday, November 2, with his readiness to play in the series opener to be assessed. His availability for the November 4 match remains in doubt, and the team management will make a late call on his fitness.
The ODI series is part of a long tour of New Zealand by India, running from October to December 2026, which includes five T20 internationals, five ODIs and two Tests. India won the T20 leg 3-2, and the ODI series now offers New Zealand a chance to hit back, albeit without two of their most important players. The first ODI at Eden Park will be followed by four more matches, with the squads changing midway through the series as players come in and out.
For India, the series is another opportunity to fine-tune their one-day side and test their bench strength at home. The hosts have a deep pool of talent and a strong record in home ODIs, and they will start as favourites. But New Zealand have a proud record of punching above their weight in global and bilateral cricket, and their squad still contains experienced campaigners in captain Mitchell Santner, Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips.
The injury news also has implications beyond the ODI series. Ravindra's shoulder and Chapman's hamstring will both be monitored with the Test series in mind, and New Zealand will be desperate to have both fit for the red-ball matches later this month. Rushing either back for the ODIs and risking a longer layoff would have been a gamble the management was unwilling to take.
The reshuffle also gives opportunities to players on the fringes of the side. Seifert, a destructive wicketkeeper-batter, will get an extended run at the top of the order after originally being pencilled in for only the final two games. Nicholls, a veteran of many New Zealand campaigns, returns to add solidity and experience for the opening three matches, while Foxcroft, who has impressed in domestic cricket, will get his chance in the closing games of the series.
Fisher, too, benefits from staying with the squad throughout, giving the bowling attack extra depth in the absence of the injured players.
For New Zealand, the series also serves as preparation for bigger assignments ahead. One-day cricket remains a format where the Black Caps have consistently challenged the best sides, reaching the finals of the last two ODI World Cups, and the management will want to test combinations and build depth even while key players are unavailable.
The conditions in New Zealand, with swing and seam movement early in matches, traditionally suit the home bowlers, and the Auckland opener could offer an early indication of how competitive the reshuffled side can be.
For now, the focus shifts to Auckland, where a reshuffled New Zealand side will attempt to upset the odds against India on Wednesday.
(Reporting based on Cricbuzz and ESPNcricinfo.)