Devon Conway ruled out of first ODI with concussion; Tim Seifert to step in
New Zealand batter Devon Conway has been ruled out of the first ODI against India after suffering a concussion in a training-ground collision with teammate Matt Henry at Eden Park ahead of Wednesday's series opener, skipper Mitchell Santner said on Tuesday (November 3, 2026).
Conway and Henry collided while attempting an aerial catch during the team's training session at Eden Park. "Conway was taken to A&E for further examination, which confirmed a concussion that has ruled him out of the first ODI against India tomorrow," NZC said in a statement. Both players were immediately attended to by medical staff at the ground and underwent head injury assessments.
Santner addressed the incident at the pre-match press conference, saying: "I think Matt went through his concussion thing. He seems okay, but Dev's (Conway) been rushed off-premises. So, yeah, it didn't look too good, actually, that collision,".
On Conway's replacement Santner said: "Yeah, I guess he's the back-up batter in our squad, so it'll probably be a direct swap if Dev's unavailable, which is a shame," referring to Tim Seifert as the likely substitute.
Santner added further comment on Conway's role and the nature of the accident, saying: "He obviously is very good in one-day cricket and was biding his time in the T20 series. And, yeah, I guess it's another one of those freak accidents that happen,".
The New Zealand skipper stressed caution over head injuries: "It's one of those ones you want to take very seriously, head knocks. We have a backup batter in line just in case. But, yeah, we'll wait and see how he pulls up. It didn't look great, to be fair," he said. NZC said both players will continue to be monitored and an update on their further involvement in the series will be provided in due course.
India won the recently concluded five-match T20I series 3-2 after New Zealand fought back to claim the last two rubbers. An update on Conway and Henry's status is expected before the first ODI, scheduled as the series opener on Wednesday.
