Mark Chapman, Rachin Ravindra out of NZ’s ODI series v India

New Zealand will be without Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra for the five-match ODI series against India, with the first game at Eden Park, Auckland, on Wednesday 4 November at 7:30 AM IST. Chapman has a hamstring injury and Ravindra a shoulder problem.

Chapman needs a further two weeks of rehab, NZ Cricket said. Ravindra needs more recovery time before he can field at full capacity.

Who comes in

Batter-keeper Tim Seifert is now in the squad for all five matches, while Henry Nicholls has been added for the first three games. Fast bowler Matt Henry joined the squad on Monday 2 November, but he will be assessed to see whether he is fit to play, so his availability for the opener is uncertain.

What the coach said

Head coach Rob Walter called Chapman and Ravindra big assets and said it was a shame they would miss the series. He said Ravindra’s shoulder has not recovered enough for him to field comfortably in white-ball cricket, and New Zealand will not take undue risks with the Test series later this month. Walter added that the side is well placed to cope without the pair.

India’s side

Shubman Gill will captain India in the first three ODIs, with Shreyas Iyer taking over for the last two. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested, and Auqib Nabi was named as a replacement for the injured Prasidh Krishna for the first three matches. Nitish Kumar Reddy is in the squad for the first ODI only.

At Eden Park on Monday, Gill had a long batting and fielding session, and KL Rahul worked on wicketkeeping and batting. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli skipped the outdoor session after training on Sunday, and the bowlers were rested. India have one more session on Tuesday afternoon.

Rohit is 348 runs short of 21,000 international runs, and 36 short of becoming the first Indian opener to reach 5,000 international runs in SENA countries, according to Tribune India. Reports describe the series as a build-up to the 2027 World Cup, and Outlook says the return of Rohit and Kohli to 50-over cricket in New Zealand will draw the most attention.

What’s next

After the opener, the second ODI is on Saturday 7 November at Hnry Stadium, Wellington, again at 7:30 AM IST. The New Zealand vs India ODI Series 2026 runs from 4 to 15 November.