New Zealand have added young all-rounder Kristian Clarke to their squad for the first three games of their upcoming T20I series against India, starting on Wednesday in Nagpur, as seamer Adam Milne and experienced spinner Michael Bracewell are both battling injuries in the lead-up to the series.
Clarke played a starring role in his maiden ODI series, claiming seven wickets, including Virat Kohli twice across the three games, while also adding useful lower-order runs and taking two catches in the field.
New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said Clarke’s inclusion was primarily for cover as they seek to manage their fast-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,” Walter said.
Walter confirmed that Bracewell had 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. He will be treated and monitored over the coming days, with a decision on his further involvement in the tour to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, pace-bowler Milne injured his left hamstring while playing for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 on Sunday and is now being evaluated to decide how to manage the injury.
Walter mentioned that the team had arrived in Nagpur in high spirits after winning the ODI series 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,” he added.
New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Kristian Clarke (first three games), Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ish Sodhi
