New Zealand bowling all-rounder Kristian Clarke will remain with the team in India after being added to the T20 squad for the first three games of the upcoming five-match series, which begins in Nagpur on Wednesday, January 21.
Clarke made a significant impact in his maiden ODI series, taking seven wickets, including dismissing veteran batter Virat Kohli twice, while also contributing valuable lower-order runs and taking two catches in the field. New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said Clarke’s inclusion
is primarily as cover, as the team looks to manage its first-choice bowling group.
“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. 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 certainly showcased his talent in the ODI series, but what was particularly impressive was his calmness and ability to perform under pressure,” said Walter as quoted by NZC.
Walter confirmed that Michael Bracewell travelled with the T20 squad to Nagpur after sustaining a minor left-calf strain while fielding in the third and final ODI in Indore on Sunday, January 18. Bracewell will be treated and closely monitored over the coming days before a decision is made on his further involvement in the tour.
Right-arm pacer Adam Milne, meanwhile, injured his left hamstring while bowling for Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 on Sunday and is currently undergoing assessment to determine the best course of management. Walter added that the team arrived in Nagpur in high spirits following their ODI series win in Indore.
“It was incredibly special to win the ODI series and create some history. There were lots of special performances combined with fantastic team work to achieve something that hadn’t been done before. With a short turn-around 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,” said Walter.
New Zealand squad for T20I series vs India:
Mitchell Santner (Captain), 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, Kristian Clarke (First three games)
