New Zealand selects only 9 players for limited over series against India, Coach Mike Hesson reveals the reason!

New Zealand will be touring India for a limited over series starting October 22 to November 7 featuring three ODI and two T20Is

By: Score Keepers |
September 25, 2017 4:56 pm

After India vs Australia limited over series gets over, India will be taking on New Zealand in three ODIs and 3 T20Is at home. The Kane Williamson-led BlackCaps side lost the previous ODI series to India in 2016 by 2-3. The India vs New Zealand series will be starting on October 17 with two tour matches whereas the ODI series will be starting from October 22 and the tour will end on November 7 with the completion of three-match T20I series. However, it came as a surprise to everyone when New Zealand announced only 9 players for the limited overs series. The explanation came later which further clarified the reason.

Coach Mike Hesson’s explanation-

“The nine we’ve picked have made up the core of our ODI team for a while, and all of them have experience playing in India,” said Hesson.

“With a number of our top guys already playing in India, it’s helpful to be able to select the squad in two parts. With six spots left, there’s an obvious incentive for the players in New Zealand A to perform and put their best foot forward,”

“It will be disappointing for James and Neil, but we’ve talked through the areas that we’d like to see them work on and if we see development they’ll certainly both come into the reckoning come the home summer,” Hesson added.

New Zealand’s Initial Squad of 9 players:

Kane Williamson (C), Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Adam Milne, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor

A squad of 9 has been named for the tour of India, with more players to be added from the current NZ A tour. | https://t.co/zvytoDG9tY pic.twitter.com/Dk5uIXWTPH

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) September 24, 2017

Current New Zealand A squad playing against India A

Jeet Raval, Will Young, George Worker, Tim Seifert (wk), Scott Kuggeleijn, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Tom Blundell, Todd Astle, Ish Sodhi, Henry Nicholls (c), Tom Bruce, Colin Munro, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Sean Solia

Till now, only Ish Sodhi has managed to impress with his leg-spin bowling as he picked up a five-wicket haul in the second innings in the first unofficial Test against India A. Sodhi is expected to be selected for the limited overs series as keeping a leg spinner in the team has become a norm these days.