Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra ruled out of New Zealand's five-match ODI series against India
New Zealand have been hit by a double injury setback ahead of their five-match ODI series against India, with senior batters Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra ruled out after failing to recover in time, New Zealand Cricket confirmed on Monday. The series is due to begin on Wednesday, leaving the hosts without two established options in their batting line-up.
Chapman will miss the opening matches after an MRI revealed his left hamstring needs further rehabilitation, and Ravindra’s right shoulder has not recovered sufficiently to allow him to field at full capacity. New Zealand Cricket issued the update on the players’ fitness while outlining squad adjustments to cover the absences. The announcement followed medical assessments and selection meetings as the team finalised preparations for the India series.
"A recent MRI showed Chapman's left hamstring requires another two weeks of rehabilitation before he is fully fit to return to the field, whilst Ravindra's right shoulder requires more recovery time before he's able to field at full capacity," NZC said in a statement. The scan result for Chapman specifically determined the additional two-week recovery window cited by the board.
Rob Walter addressed the decisions on player management, saying: "I caught up with Mark last week and although he's disappointed he's working hard to get back on the field. With Rachin, his shoulder hasn't quite recovered to a position where he could field comfortably in white-ball cricket, so with the Test series later this month we don't want to take any undue risks," Walter said. He framed the rulings as precautionary measures tied to upcoming commitments.
Selectors responded to the absences by altering the squad composition: Tim Seifert, who was initially picked only for the fourth and fifth ODIs, has now been included for the entire series. Henry Nicholls will be part of the squad for the first three matches, while Dean Foxcroft has been pencilled in for the final two games. Matt Fisher, initially selected for the fourth and fifth ODIs, will remain with the squad throughout the series as an additional bowling option.
There remains uncertainty over Matt Henry's availability; the fast bowler is expected to join the squad on Monday, after which the team management will assess his readiness to play. That assessment will determine whether New Zealand add further seam reinforcement before the first game. Management statements indicated final decisions on Henry will follow his arrival and fitness checks.
Walter also commented on the incoming options, noting familiarity and recent match experience in the changes: "We're pleased to bring in Henry who is no stranger to this side, and Dean who recently featured in the ODIs against the West Indies," he added. The coach referenced Nicholls' and Foxcroft's previous ties to the group when explaining the selectors' choices.
New Zealand must reassess their batting combinations as they prepare to take on India, with the absence of two experienced players adding to the challenge ahead of the opening ODI on Wednesday. The team will finalise its XI once the remaining fitness assessments and squad confirmations are complete.
