New Zealand have made a big decision as they turn their attention to a crucial T20I series against India, adding young all-rounder Kristian Clarke to their squad for the opening three matches. The latest move comes as New Zealand are managing injury concerns to key players just weeks ahead of the T20I World Cup 2026.
Clarke, who was incredibly impressive in the preceding ODI series, will continue to stay with the squad for the first three games of the T20I series, which gets underway in Nagpur on Wednesday. The decision was taken following the absence of fast bowler Adam Milne and experienced spinner Michael Bracewell, who are both working their way back from injuries.
Milne suffered a hamstring injury while playing in the SA20, while Bracewell picked up a calf injury in the third and final match of the recent three-match ODI series that New Zealand won by 41 runs to claim the series 2-1.
“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," New Zealand head coach Rob 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 certainly showcased his talent in the ODI series, but what was particularly impressive was his calmness and ability to perform under pressure."
New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Kristian Clarke (first three games), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish Sodhi