New Zealand has named a 16-man squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against India, featuring a return for fast bowler Adam Milne and the exclusion of Rachin Ravindra due to injury. Ravindra was officially ruled out after dislocating his right shoulder during a promotional shoot in Auckland on September 16, 2026.
The squad, captained by Mitchell Santner, includes 13 players from the group that finished as runners-up in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Adam Milne returns to the international Twenty20 setup for the first time in over a year, having last appeared against Zimbabwe. While the pace attack is bolstered by Milne, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, and Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears remains unavailable as he continues rehabilitation for an ankle injury.
NZC Performance Manager Mike Sandle addressed the injury to Ravindra, which occurred during a commercial session for Sky Sport. “It was a really unfortunate injury. We’re gutted for Rachin and our key priority is making sure he recovers well and gets back on the field as soon as he can,” Sandle said. Ravindra is expected to be sidelined for six weeks, with a target return date set for the ODI series beginning November 4, 2026.
Analysis of the selection indicates a strategy to exploit home conditions through a seven-man pace rotation. Furthermore, the inclusion of Bevon Jacobs alongside the returning Michael Bracewell signals a move to refresh the batting depth following the recent World Cup cycle.
Head Coach Rob Walter confirmed that the squad size was chosen to facilitate rotation. “We’re very fortunate with the depth that we’ve got to call upon, so we’ll look to use all 16 squad members throughout the series as we manage workloads,” Walter said. This series marks the first meeting between New Zealand and India since the 2026 World Cup final, with ticket sales already exceeding 76,000.
The opening T20I is scheduled for October 22, 2026, at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
