New Zealand announce 14-member squad for T20I series against Australia, Mitchell Santner and 5 star players ruled out due to injury

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on September 16 announced a 14-member squad for the three-T20I series at home against Australia next month. Captain Mitchell Santner who had an abdominal surgery is yet to recover and is ruled out of the series. Michael Bracewell will lead the side in Santner’s absence.

Kyle Jamieson and Ben Sears have returned to the squad after missing the tri-series in Zimbabwe. Jamieson skipped the previous series for the birth of his first child whereas Sears was doing his rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, Finn Allen, Adam Milne, Will O'Rourke, Glenn Phillips and Lockie Ferguson will continue to be out of the side due to their respective surgeries. Also, Kane Williamson has made himself unavailable for the series after signing a casual playing contract.

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Bracewell is excited for the series as captain and will look to reclaim the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy for the first time since 2016.

“The Chappell-Hadlee Series is a great way to start the summer,” he said. “I grew up watching those series and the rivalry is massive between New Zealand and Australia.

“Since 2016 it [the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy] hasn’t been with us, and that’s something we want to change. Having the opportunity to fight for that on home soil is pretty special.”

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Bracewell is aware of the challenge Mitchell Marsh-led Australia pose having beaten West Indies and South Africa in the T20I series.

“Australia has been playing some really good cricket of late, and so have we, so it should make for an amazing series and a great occasion to be a part of,” the all-rounder said.

The T20I series will begin on October 1.

New Zealand’s T20I squad -

Michael Bracewell (c), Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.

Australia’s T20I squad -

Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.