New Zealand suffer injury setback ahead of India T20I series

Michael Bracewell could be in doubt for New Zealand’s upcoming five-match T20I series against India, which begins on Wednesday in Nagpur, after sustaining what New Zealand Cricket (NZC) described as a “minor left calf strain” during the third and final ODI in Indore on Sunday.

Bracewell, who captained New Zealand to a historic 2-1 ODI series victory over India, will be closely monitored over the coming days before a decision is made on his continued involvement in the tour.

Despite the concern, the all-rounder has travelled with the rest of the T20I squad to Nagpur, head coach Rob Walter confirmed.

Meanwhile, fast-bowling all-rounder Kristian Clarke has been added to the T20I squad for the first three matches of the series.

The Northern Districts player, who made his international debut in the ODI series against India, impressed by claiming seven wickets, including two three-wicket hauls, while also contributing valuable lower-order runs.

"We've got a fair bit of player movement at the moment with some guys returning from injury for this series, others joining us immediately from franchise cricket and the rest coming off the India ODI series and Super Smash," Walter said.

"We want to ensure we've got enough pace-bowling options for the first three games of this series and it's a great opportunity for Kristian to stay on with the group a little longer on his first tour of India," he added.

"He certainly showcased his talent in the ODI series, but what was particularly impressive was his calmness and ability to perform under pressure."

New Zealand’s pace-bowling unit for the T20I series includes Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes and Kyle Jamieson, while James Neesham provides the all-round option.

The Black Caps head into the T20I series on the back of a landmark achievement, having secured their first-ever ODI series win in India.

"It was incredibly special to win the ODI series and create some history," Walter said. "There were lots of special performances combined with fantastic team work to achieve something that hadn't been done before.

"With a short turnaround to the T20 series we know we'll need to recover well and refocus quickly to be ready for the opening game on Wednesday night."

New Zealand squad for T20I series against India:

Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish Sodhi and Kristian Clarke (first three matches only).

Click here to read article