New Zealand all-rounder Kyle Jamieson will be skipping the three-match T20I series against India, starting from Wednesday, to focus on the two-match Test series which follows soon after.
Jamieson is the second player from the New Zealand camp after regular skipper Kane Williamson to prioritise playing in the Test series. The development was confirmed by New Zealand head coach Gary Stead.
"We decided through talking with Kane and Kyle that they won't play in this T20 series. They're both going to get ready for the Test matches and I think you'll find there will be other guys involved in the Test matches that won't play the entire series either. It's a bit of a balancing act at the moment and with three T20 games in five days plus travel to three different cities it's a very, very busy time," Stead said in a video interview released by New Zealand Cricket (NZC).
Also Read | Formula 1: Zhou Guanyu confirmed at Alfa Romeo for 2022
Apart from Jamieson and Williamson, stand-in T20I skipper Tim Southee, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner and Daryl Mitchell are other players in the T20I squad who are also named in the Test squad.
Stead stated all the 13 members in the T20I squad will get some game time in the T20Is. "You'll definitely see that the whole squad will get match time over here and that's about us managing the workload of the players, especially with the Test matches coming up for us, which will be a real key priority for us as we work through the next week."
Stead mentioned that pacer Lockie Ferguson, who missed the T20 World Cup due to calf injury, will be in the playing eleven for the first T20I against India.
Also Read | Bolivia sink Uruguay to keep World Cup hopes flickering
"Lockie is likely to play (Wednesday). It's fantastic to get him back playing again. He's recovered really well from his calf injury which he picked up at the very start of the World Cup. So, exciting for him and our team to have him back in the bowling attack."
Stead expects India to be very strong in their home conditions. "They are still a very, very fine side. They have got a new coach in Rahul Dravid. I know that usually when a new coach comes on board, the people want to impress him and claim spots in the team. I certainly expect India will be very, very strong and will fire lots of shots at us. We just have to keep being positive and be really clear on the way we are going to play against these guys."
