The injured Matt Henry has been replaced in the ODI selections for India and Pakistan by New Zealand pacer Doug Bracewell. After suffering from an abdominal strain on the penultimate day of the second Test in Karachi, Henry was unable to participate in the white-ball series against Pakistan and India. The fast bowler, who is 31 years old, needs two to four weeks of rest and recovery.
With 68 international appearances, Bracewell participated in the ODI series against the Netherlands at home in April. In domestic cricket, the 32-year-old has been in strong form both with the bat and the ball. On Wednesday, he will arrive in Pakistan. Tim Southee has been replaced for the India tour by pace bowler Jacob Duffy. Following the conclusion of their three-match ODI series in Pakistan on January 13, the team will depart for India.
On January 18, the opening ODI of the Black Caps’ white-ball tour of India will take place in Hyderabad. Raipur and Indore will then host games. Bracewell was a like-for-like substitute for Henry in the ODI team, according to New Zealand coach Gary Stead. “Doug is a quality bowler with a lot of experience and we feel his skills best complement the bowling mix we already have in the squads for Pakistan and India,” Stead told New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on Monday.
“He has experience across all three formats at the international level, has experience in the subcontinent, and has already shown his range of skills this season.” On Henry, who picked up the injury on the final day of a drawn Test in Karachi, Stead said, “Matt has been one of the leaders of our ODI attack for a number of years and I know he’s disappointed to be missing out because of injury.” “With important home series coming up, it’s vital he has time to recover properly over the coming weeks.”
Revised New Zealand ODI squad for India: Tom Latham (captain), Finn Allen, Doug Bracewell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, and Blair Tickner.
