Kane Williamson, the designated captain, and Kyle Jamieson have been withdrawn from New Zealand’s T20I squad to take on Bangladesh at home later this month. Mitchell Santner, who has led both the New Zealand white-ball sides in the past, will be captain in Williamson’s absence.
Rachin Ravindra and Jacob Duffy have been called up as replacements, with NZC saying the decision on Williamson and Jamieson was made following “medical advice and consideration of the team’s upcoming schedule, with a focus on this summer’s Test series against South Africa and Australia”.
Williamson, who missed seven months of competitive cricket earlier this year after sustaining a right knee injury during the IPL, “will undergo a period of knee rehabilitation and strengthening following his recent return to play in India and Bangladesh,” NZC said.
As for Jamieson, “his hamstring injury was best served by a period of targeted rehabilitation leading into February’s Test Series against South Africa”. He will sit out the series of three T20Is against Bangladesh as well as the January T20I series against Pakistan. He was earlier withdrawn from the ODI squad for the ongoing series against Bangladesh, which New Zealand are leading 2-0.
“[Duffy has] worked very hard on his white-ball skills in recent seasons. Rachin adds to any environment he’s a part of, and has a great desire to learn and develop his game – across all three formats”
New Zealand coach Gary Stead
“We want both Kane and Kyle to be in the best possible place leading into the next block of Test cricket against South Africa and Australia,” Gary Stead, the New Zealand coach, said in a statement. “Based on discussions with the medical staff and the players, it was decided a period of rehabilitation and conditioning was the best option for both of them.
“Jacob is an experienced T20 cricketer, and always brings a lot when he is part of the BlackCaps environment. He’s worked very hard on his white-ball skills in recent seasons. Rachin adds to any environment he’s a part of, and has a great desire to learn and develop his game – across all three formats.”
The series of three T20Is – Napier (December 27), and Mount Maunganui (December 29 and 31) – would have marked a return to the format for Williamson, who last played a T20I on November 20 last year, against India in Mount Maunganui.
New Zealand squad for T20Is against Bangladesh
: Mitchell Santner (capt), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee
Source: ESPN Crickinfo
