Injury blow for New Zealand as Devon Conway ruled out of India ODIs with concussion

Untimely injuries continue to haunt New Zealand ahead of the five-match ODI series against India starting on Wednesday (Nov 4) at Eden Park in Auckland. Having already lost Mark Chapman (hamstring) and Rachin Ravindra (shoulder) for the marquee series, the hosts will now be without another top-order batter, Devon Conway, who is out with a concussion after a collision with seamer and teammate Matt Henry during the pre-match training session on Tuesday (Nov 3). The medical staff immediately treated the two players before Conway was “taken to A&E for further examination, which confirmed a concussion,” according to an NZC media release later.

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner confirmed that Henry appeared fine following concussion tests, but Conway had been rushed for scans.

With at least two first-team top-order batters ruled out of the ODI series, Tim Seifert, who was originally picked for the first two matches, has been included for the entire series, with Santner indicating his inclusion in the playing XI for the series opener.

"Yeah, I guess he's [Seifert] the back-up batter in our squad," Santner said on the eve of the first ODI at Eden Park. "So it'll probably be a direct swap if Dev's unavailable, which is a shame. He [Conway] is obviously very good in one-day cricket and, you know, was biding his time in the T20 series. And, yeah, I guess another one of those freak accidents that happens."

Even though the venue’s dimensions pose a challenge for the bowlers, with straight boundaries being relatively shorter, Santner expects extra bounce for fast bowlers.

"Yeah, I guess it's a different format, but we've played here a lot in one-day cricket," Santner said. "The pitch traditionally has a bit of bounce, like we saw in the T20, and it's the same surface.

"Ground dimensions are always one to play into your mind at Eden Park. Traditionally, there's a little bit of bounce, which, you know, is good for the seamers. And it can be quite swirly with the wind, you know, which can make it quite a tough catching ground,” he added.

‘We’re Ready’

Santner said that despite the crunch window between the two series, which cuts down recovery time for those featuring in all matches, the New Zealand players are ready for the challenge against the top-ranked Indian team.

“Obviously, the recovery [period after matches] is a little bit shorter with travel as well. So I think guys [have] just got to be on top of it, whatever it looks like,” Santner noted.

The first ODI will get underway at 7:30 AM IST.