New Zealand suffered injuries, losing Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra for the India ODI

New Zealand have suffered a double injury blow ahead of their five-match ODI series against India, with senior batsmen Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra ruled out after failing to recover from their injuries in time.

New Zealand Cricket confirmed on Monday that Chapman needs more time to recover from a hamstring injury, while Ravindra continues to struggle with a shoulder problem. The five-match series against India begins on Wednesday and the hosts have two significant gaps in their batting line-up.

Chapman’s latest MRI revealed that his left hamstring will require another two weeks of rehabilitation before he can return to action. Meanwhile, Ravindra has not recovered enough from his right shoulder girdle to fire at full capacity.

“A recent MRI showed that Chapman’s left hamstring requires two more weeks of rehabilitation before he is fully fit to return to the field, while Ravindra’s right shoulder requires more recovery time before he is able to play at full capacity,” NZC said in a statement.

The selectors made several changes to the lineup to cover the missing. 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 games, while Dean Foxcroft has been brought in for the last two games.

There is also uncertainty surrounding Matt Henry’s availability. The fast bowler is expected to join the squad on Monday, after which team management will assess his readiness to play. Matt Fisher, originally selected for the fourth and fifth ODIs, will remain in the squad throughout the series as another bowling option.

WALTER EXPLAINS INJURY CONCERNS

New Zealand head coach Rob Walter admitted the loss of Chapman and Ravindra was disappointing, but stressed the team would not take any unnecessary risks with either player.

Walter said Chapman had been working hard on his recovery, while Ravindra’s shoulder problem had not improved enough for him to comfortably handle the demands of white-ball cricket.

“I caught up with Mark last week and although he is disappointed he is working hard to get back on the field. With Rachin, his shoulder is not fully recovered to a position where he can play comfortably in white-ball cricket, so we don’t want to take any undue risks with the Test series later this month,” said Walter.

The coach was also pleased with the additions to the squad, pointing to Nicholls’ familiarity with the side and Foxcroft’s recent ODI experience against the West Indies.

“We are delighted to bring in Henry, who is no stranger to this side, and Dean, who recently featured in the ODI against the West Indies,” he added.

New Zealand will now have to 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.

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