The stage is set for the upcoming multi-format series between India and New Zealand. After the conclusion of India’s ongoing T20I series against the West Indies, the Men in Blue will be taking on New Zealand across five T20Is, five ODIs, and two Test matches.
The multi-format series will kick off with five T20Is, with the first one scheduled on October 22nd. Ahead of the series, NZC (New Zealand Cricket) has been hit with a major blow as two star players of the side have been ruled out of the T20I series against India due to injuries.
Mark Chapman and Zak Foulkes will miss the India T20Is due to injury. Notably, Chapman suffered a tear in his left hamstring during the European T20 Premier League in September 2026 and will not be available until the beginning of the ODI series.
On the other hand, Zak Foulkes has been ruled out due to an injury to his right hip flexor that he sustained during training. As for their replacements, NZC has called up the duo of Josh Clarkson and fast bowler Blair Tickner as they gear up for the T20Is against India.
Rob Walter opened up on the injuries
After Chapman and Foulkes were ruled out of the T20I series against India, New Zealand head coach Rob Walter took centre stage and talked about how the injuries will affect their plan going forward in the series. He said the side are lucky to have Tickner and Clarkson in the squad.
“I’m gutted for Mark and Zak, and I wish them both a smooth recovery. We’re fortunate to be able to lean on the expertise of Josh and Blair. I know they’re both very excited to be involved in what’s shaping up to be an epic T20 series,” Walter was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
New Zealand T20I squad vs India: Mitchell Santner (C), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner