New Zealand’s cricket fans are in for an exciting T20I series against Australia, but the Black Caps will miss their white-ball captain, Mitchell Santner. The spinner had abdominal surgery last month and hoped to recover in time for the matches on October 1, 3, and 4 in Mount Maunganui. Unfortunately, he won’t make it, so all-rounder Michael Bracewell steps up as captain for the 14-player squad.
Bracewell has led the team before and impressed everyone during the recent series against Pakistan. New Zealand coach Gary Stead shared his confidence, saying, “It’s never nice to lose your skipper, but these things happen. Michael did a great job last time, so we’re fully behind him.”
The squad brings back some key fast bowlers like Kyle Jamieson and Ben Sears, who missed the July tri-series in Zimbabwe—Jamieson for the birth of his first child and Sears due to a side injury. Coach Stead praised their return: “Jamieson worked incredibly hard over the last 12 weeks to get back on the field. We’re excited to have him in the mix and build a strong base of fast bowlers for our busy schedule.”
Sadly, injuries have sidelined several stars. Pace ace Lockie Ferguson deals with a hamstring issue, while Adam Milne nurses a foot injury. Others out include Will O’Rourke (back), Glenn Phillips (groin), and opener Finn Allen (foot). Kane Williamson, the team’s batting star, opted out but should return for the upcoming white-ball series against England.
Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi stays in the lineup to fill the spin void left by Santner. He shone in the Zimbabwe series with figures of 2/34 and 4/12. Wicketkeeper Devon Conway, fresh off a casual playing agreement with the Black Caps, also keeps his spot.
Looking ahead to the Australia clash, Stead expects a high-energy battle. “They play a very aggressive brand of cricket, which puts us under pressure. It’s a great test for us to try different strategies,” he said. This series kicks off New Zealand’s home season and serves as key prep for next year’s T20 World Cup.
New Zealand T20I squad vs Australia: Michael Bracewell (captain), Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.
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