Virat Kohli-hunter added to New Zealand T20I squad; Kiwis panic over Michael Bracewell, Adam Milne's injuries

New Zealand have added Kristian Clarke to the T20I squad for the first three matches of the upcoming five-game series against Team India. The Black Caps’ team management will continue to closely monitor the fitness of Michael Bracewell and Adam Milne ahead of the series opener, set to begin on January 21.

Clarke took seven wickets across three matches and dismissed Virat Kohli twice in his maiden series. He also chipped in with useful lower-order runs and took two catches in the field. New Zealand fielded an inexperienced side and lost the opening ODI to India but went on to clinch the series by a margin of 2-1.

New Zealand Add Kristian Clarke to T20I Squad for First Three Matches vs India

New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said that Kristian Clarke was included mainly as cover to help manage the fast-bowling group. Walter stated that the team wanted enough pace options for the first three matches. He also added that Clarke handled pressure well and showed maturity in the ODI series.

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“We’ve got a fair bit of player movement at the moment with some guys returning from injury for this series, others joining us immediately from franchise cricket and the rest coming off the India ODI series and Super Smash," Walter said.

“We want to ensure we’ve got enough pace-bowling options for the first three games of this series and it’s a great opportunity for Kristian to stay on with the group a little longer on his first tour of India."

“He certainly showcased his talent in the ODI series, but what was particularly impressive was his calmness and ability to perform under pressure."

New Zealand Head Coach Provides Injury Updates on Michael Bracewell and Adam Milne

Rob Walter confirmed that Michael Bracewell travelled to Nagpur with the T20I squad. Bracewell picked up a minor left-calf strain while fielding in the third and final ODI in Indore on Sunday.

The team will treat the injury and closely monitor Bracewell over the next few days. A decision on his role for the rest of the tour will be taken after that.

Walter also shared an update on Adam Milne. The fast bowler injured his left hamstring while bowling for Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 on Sunday. Milne is currently under assessment, and the New Zealand team management will decide how to manage his injury.

It Was Incredibly Special to Win the ODI Series - Rob Walter

Walter said that the team reached Nagpur in a positive frame of mind after winning the ODI series in Indore. The head coach described the series victory as special. He added that with little time between formats, the focus is now on recovery and quickly shifting attention to the T20I series.

“It was incredibly special to win the ODI series and create some history. There were lots of special performances combined with fantastic team work to achieve something that hadn’t been done before,” he said.

“With a short turn-around to the T20 series we know we’ll need to recover well and refocus quickly to be ready for the opening game on Wednesday night.”

Also read: Daryl Mitchell knocks Virat Kohli off the throne to become World No.1 ODI batter in ICC Rankings