Martin Guptill made just 46 in three T20Is against Pakistan in December © AFP via Getty Images
New Zealand opener Martin Guptill will have to prove his fitness in order to be part of the T20I series against Australia, which begins on February 22 in Christchurch. The 34-year-old Guptill, who had missed the final two games of the Super Smash season with a hamstring injury, assembled with the squad in Christchurch on Friday even as Finn Allen continued to be in the 13-man squad a cover for him.
Guptill has not enjoyed particularly good form this summer, making just 46 in three T20Is against Pakistan in December before making three single-digit scores in his last four Super Smash innings. Uncapped 21-year-old batsman Allen, meanwhile, was impressive in the Super Smash, where he was the highest scorer overall with 512 runs in 11 innings, including six fifties.
“Finn’s been in outstanding form and he’s certainly an exciting talent,” New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said in a statement. “Martin’s our incumbent opener and our highest T20 International run scorer, so we’re backing him to do the job at the top of the order, but he will need to prove his fitness and it’s good to know we have a ready replacement in Finn on stand-by.”
Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman, who were all part of the T20Is against Pakistan, have been backed to continue in the batting line-up after impressing in their international stints. James Neesham, who underwent a finger surgery last month and returned to the Super Smash on February 6 after gaining fitness, is also part of the squad.
Squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Hamish Bennett, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Martin Guptill (pending fitness test), Kyle Jamieson, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips. Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Finn Allen (stand-by for Guptill).
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo